BAPS Charities Health Fair Promotes Healthy Living, Educates Public

BAPS Charities Health Fair
Promotes Healthy Living, Educates Public

As potential patients entered the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Family Activity Center on Sunday, April 25, 2010, they found a wide range of medical professionals ready to answer their healthcare questions. They were participating in Health Fair 2010, an event hosted by BAPS Charities to address the community’s medical needs and educate participants on the elements of a healthy lifestyle.

The Health Fair saw participation from over 60 medical professionals, including pharmacists, dentists, nurses, physicians, and specialists in the fields of cardiology, ophthalmology, pediatrics, gynecology, and psychiatry. These professionals provided individual consultations to over 650 patients who attended and benefited from this event.

To provide better consultations based on blood analysis, blood samples were collected from participants a week in advance. On the day of the health fair, various health care professionals donated their time and expertise providing educating seminars, free personal consultations, and basic examinations.

“The average life expectancy of an Indian person in 2010 is 65 years of age, which is well below the average for developed countries,” said Dr. Kashyap Patel, a physician and BAPS volunteer. “Despite economic and educational prosperity, Indians still lag in terms of dietary and lifestyle statistics.”

Due to these numbers, Dr. Patel stated, events like this are critical to addressing the health issues that are prevalent among the diaspora.

“In addition to providing medical care, our major purpose here is to educate on the impact of the Indian diet, and create awareness about exercise. We are taking a complete mind, body, soul approach.”

Field experts also conducted seminars on various topics including mental health, yoga, women’s health, oral care, high cholesterol and diabetes, diet, nutrition, and fitness.

Satish Nair, a certified massage therapist, yoga instructor and Ayurvedic Educator held a seminar on the importance of pranayam, or breathing exercises.

“We have the ability to heal ourselves through breathing,” said Nair, who holds weekly yoga sessions at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.

Pharmacist Ann Duke, who volunteered at the health fair, stressed how importance it is to participate in such events.

“It’s good for people to come here and support the community in which we live,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of health fairs and I’ve never seen one this successful. This event is a real blessing for those who participated.”

Indira Shah of Doraville, who attended the health fair with her husband, took away a very positive experience.

“Some people cannot afford healthcare,” she said. “These events are important, especially for those people. It is not easy to put together something of this scale and organizers have done a wonderful job.”

According to Anand Mehta, Vice President of BAPS Charities, the most important element of this health fair was community involvement.

“At this event, we had so much expertise under one umbrella,” he said. “The volunteers, physicians and other medical professionals have done a tremendous job. Even if we directed one person in the right direction today, we have been successful.”

BAPS Charities hosted similar community Health Fairs at over 30 locations nationwide over the month of April, 2010. Shouldered on the belief of service to mankind, BAPS Charities has been sincerely serving the global community since its inception through its numerous humanitarian activities. Managing 9 charitable hospitals and 11 mobile medical vans in India, BAPS Charities has treated over 2 million patients and regularly provides treatment to villagers living in remote areas. Through various activities such as, bone marrow and blood drives, nationwide walkathons, and disaster relief operations, BAPS Charities sincerely serves the world by caring for individuals, families, and communities.

About BAPS Charities

BAPS Charities is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit international charity organization committed to sincerely serving the world by caring for individuals, families, and communities. It is affiliated with BAPS as an independent charity and social services arm. The 55,000 BAPS volunteers networked in over 3,300 centers around the world provide over 12 million volunteer-hours of service annually.

Among social service charities, BAPS Charities is a well-respected and trusted name. It has amassed over 50 years of firsthand experience in initiating, managing, and sustaining 160 humanitarian operations throughout the world in such diverse fields as: medical services, environmental services, community services, tribal services, and disaster relief services.

For additional information on BAPS Charities and its international and local philanthropic activities, please visit www.bapscharities.org