Friends For Health Announces Free Vision And Hearing Screenings Offered By Lions' Club Of Highland Park
HIGHLAND PARK, IL (JUNE 2016) - To help support a healthy community, Friends for Health is joining with a number of local partners to provide free vision and hearing screenings on Wednesday, June 15th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Lion's Club mobile screening unit will be on site in the parking lot of Fire House Youth Center, 1830 Green Bay Road, in Downtown Highland Park.
The vision test will screen for diabetic retinopathy, and is available to all adults 50 years and older, adults with diabetes and those at risk for diabetes. The hearing screening is open to all adults and children 10 years and older with parental permission. Highland Park Hospital staff is also providing free blood pressure and blood sugar testing.
According to the Lion's Club of Illinois, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of new blindness in adults in the United States. Early detection is a major factor in the prevention of visual loss and screening for diabetic retinopathy is strongly recommended for people with diabetes, those at risk for diabetes and any adult 50 years of age and older.
According to statistics, hearing loss is probably the single most common chronic disability in the United States, occurring nearly four times as often as blindness.
"Protection of our hearing is so important, we hope the people of our community will take full advantage of the free hearing and vision screenings," says Ric Granroth of Lions Club Highland Park/Highwood. "The screening takes only a few minutes, and persons who fail the vision or hearing screening are referred to professionals for further evaluation and treatment."
For more information about the vision and hearing screenings on June 15th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the Fire House Youth Center, please contact Ric Granroth of Lions Club Highland Park/Highwood at 847-431-0425 or email at granrothr@gmail.com.
Thanks to the following community cosponsors, Lions of Illinois Foundation, Lion's Club of Highland Park/Highwood, Moraine Township, Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center's North Shore Health Center, Volunteer Pool of Highland Park, Highland Park Community Nursery School and Day Care Center, Highland Park Public Library and North Shore University Health System- Highland Park Hospital for helping to make the event possible by offering volunteers.
ABOUT FRIENDS FOR HEALTH
Friends for Health was established in 2002 to assist in the efforts of the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center to provide support and wellness care for people in Lake County who are in need. It is a non-profit organization that supports preventative and educational programs at the North Shore Health Center, operated by the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center with generous and annual aid from the Healthcare Foundation of Highland Park. Friends for Health's mission is to transform lives by ensuring the availability of health care and wellness to everyone in our community regardless of one's ability to pay.
ABOUT NORTH SHORE HEALTH CENTER
The North Shore Health Center is located at 1840 Green Bay Road in Highland Park, Illinois. Friends for Health along with the North Shore Health Center have focused on education and prevention as methods to ensure patients' ability to live healthier lives.