More than 300 turn out to health fair at West Aurora High

Charles Kittles considers himself lucky to be alive.

The Bolingbrook man has survived prostate and kidney cancer, had his colon removed and found a relative willing to donate a kidney after more than a year and a half on a donor transplant list.

"I don't want people to go through what I've gone through," Kittles said Saturday during the Aurora African-American Health Fair at West Aurora High School. "There's a lot of myths about what it means to be an organ donor."

Kittles spent the day signing up potential donors as a volunteer for the Elmhurst-based Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Program.

Dozens of exhibitors from the American Cancer Society to local health care agencies and area hospitals were on hand providing blood pressure, cholesterol, prostate and glucose screenings. Several speakers also spent the day providing lectures on healthy eating, stress management and prevention of chronic kidney disease.

Toya Johnson, one of the organizers of Saturday's health fair, said the event is designed to raise awareness of health, stress prevention and promote healthy lifestyle changes.

"There are so many healthcare-related disparities affecting the African-American community," Johnson said. "We wanted to give people the resources to empower them to take control of their own health."

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner welcomed visitors, noting that he was the survivor of two recent colon cancer surgeries.

"As I stand here today, I'm cancer-free," he said. "I don't want to see any of these children going through what I went through. It's not necessary. We're really trying to save our own lives with this fair."

Members of two area Girl

Scout troops spent the day in their own kid-centered health fair. Girls spent the day learning how to treat basic wounds using dolls and making their own cookbooks.

Stephanie Cannon, troop leader for Girl Scout Troop 761, located at Main Baptist Church, helped lead the group in a group aerobic exercise activity. And organizers made smoothies and healthy snacks.

"So many children don't realize that if they eat right they can avoid health problems later on in life," Cannon said.