University of Nebraska Medical Center Provides Health Screenings at the Fair

By: Rowena Li - Email

Updated: Thu 6:05 AM, Aug 30, 2012

In honor of Older Nebraskan's Day at the State Fair, the University of Nebraska Medical Center provided health tests to visitors.

They offered free blood pressure, skin cancer, osteoporosis, and blood sugar screenings. Clients could also opt to pay $20 for a cholesterol test.

"Diabetes, like blood pressure, can both be one of those very silent diseases that you don't know that you have until it's really too late. So we want people to think about their health and be proactive and try to prevent some of those things that are happening," says UNMC College of Nursing Professor Denise Waibel-Rycek.

Beth Andrews was one of those visitors who had health screenings prioritized.

"Since the Medical Center was here, this was my first stop this morning to get a bone density scan," says Andrews.

Waibel-Rycek also says that health screenings are important not only for older adults, but people of all ages.

"We have seen high incidents of diabetes two, especially in children. It's startling how many are coming down with the disease that used to be attributed only to older people, so anybody of any age can come get tested," says Waibel-Rycek.

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