Willow Community Health Fair scheduled for May 10

Alaska Health Fair will once again partner with Sunshine Community Health Center (SCHC) to host the Willow Community Health Fair on May 10, Mother’s Day, at the Willow Community Center. From 8 a.m. to noon.

Attendees will receive education on health resources available to them, receive free or discounted services and engage with a community that truly has their best interests at heart.

“Access to healthcare can be challenging in rural communities,” SCHC Community Relations Manager Sierra Winter said. “By bringing services directly into the community in a free or affordable, welcoming environment, we hope to make healthcare more approachable. Events like this encourage people to connect—bring a friend, a neighbor, or a family member—and take a step toward better health together.”

A variety of exhibitors in health, wellness and social services that tailor to the Upper Valley community will be in attendance. Educational pieces will be available for attendees and many exhibitors offer free or discounted services during the event. Tables will offer interactive activities and exclusive giveaways that make this an event that the whole family can enjoy, all while receiving integral education on health services available to them.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn about the full spectrum of services we provide,” Winter said.

Alaska Health Fair is a non-profit and has been in operation since 1980. The organization hosts health fairs across the state every year and partners with local healthcare professionals, local clinics, government and health agencies, wellness providers, larger clinical labs, cancer foundations and more for every event. Over 200 organizations and hundreds of volunteers participate in the events annually.

“This is very much an ‘Alaskans helping Alaskans’ model,” Interim Executive Director from the Alaska Health Fair Anchorage Office Wendy Carpenter said.

This event serves everyone, especially those in underserved communities. Those who benefit the most are people without ease of access to healthcare and insurance, rural residents of the Upper Valley, those who are uncomfortable meeting in a clinical setting and those looking for baseline health data.

“For many individuals—especially those without insurance—this event is a vital opportunity to understand their health numbers and stay on track with their care,” Winter said.

The larger impact of these events, according to Carpenter, are early detections of major health concerns that lead to follow-up appointments with a physician. The encouragement of healthier habits and the building relationships with providers help to connect patients to programs that they otherwise wouldn’t know existed.

“Think of it as ‘get ahead of your health before something goes wrong,’” Carpenter said.

There will be a limited number of free women’s wellness packages available at the fair, as May is National Women’s Health Month. These packages include several different health monitoring tests tailored for women

Alaska Health Fair is continuing to welcome new exhibitors to this year’s event. The current exhibitors list includes SCHC general information, SCHC Behavioral Health Department, SCHC Dental Department, Mat-Su Health Services, Willow CERT, Back and Neck Center and Valley Charities.