MANSFIELD — More than 40 organizations gathered at the Oasis of Love Church to support minority health needs on Saturday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health and Health Equity observes National Minority Health Month each April. The local NAACP chapter #3190 hosted its 24th Minority Health Fair on Saturday, the first fair since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christa Harris, NAACP Health Committee Chair, said the main goal of the fair was for local people of ethnic minorities to learn about preventative health care and reduce health disparities.
“Our goal today was to get the community out and engaged in their health, be health-conscious and prevent illness,” she said. “I’m very grateful for all the vendors and different providers here today and for their support.
“They wanted to come and pour into our community.”
Leonard Dillon, NAACP chapter president, said the annual fair used to be hosted at the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center. He thanked the Oasis Love Church for donating their church grounds for the fair on Saturday.
“We’ve got well-rounded vendors here, all the way from babies to senior care,” he said. “We wanted to keep the fair in the North End, but people are coming from all over Mansfield and our vendors are coming from all over the state.”
The fair was hosted in conjunction with Richland Public Health, Cleveland Clinic, Mansfield UMADAOP, the North End Community Improvement Collaborative, Richland County Children Services and the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library.
Vendors had informational pamphlets on physical and mental health and activities for children to learn how to stay healthy. Equitas Health also brought a mobile outreach vehicle that offered depression and anxiety screenings, urinary tract infection screenings, and other health resources.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center brought an inflatable colon visitors could tour through stages of colon health and learn how to screen for early signs of colon cancer.
Coleman Murray, program coordinator at The James Cancer Treatment and Research Center, said children’s tours usually ended with kids pushing the inflatable polyps.
“Then we tell them to eat healthy and reduce your risk of developing them when you’re older,” Murray said. “One in three men and one in four women age 45 and older have at least one polyp.
“So something your doctor will want to monitor, because if you don’t take care of it, they can become malignant polyps, which can turn into colon cancer.”
Center for Cancer Health Equity executive director Chasity Washington said she and Murray also gave visitors sunscreen samples and water bottles to promote health habits.
“We tell the kids they don’t need to worry about colon cancer signs until later, but to eat fruits and vegetables and drink water,” she said.
Additional videos and resources from the Minority Health Fair can be found on the local NAACP branch Facebook page.
