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Community Corner

St. Francis Hospital Holds Health Screenings at Mineola Library

Community outreach van raises awareness for cardiovascular health with free screenings.

Residents along Marcellus Avenue may have noticed the St. Francis Hospital Community Outreach Van parked outside the early last week, its motor humming while hospital members set up a Mobile Outreach Clinic inside the building to offer free health screenings to anyone over the age of 18.

“We’re seeing a wide gamut of people,” Deirdre Capozzoli, a registered nurse at St. Francis Hospital, said. “We are seeing a lot of young people who don’t go to the doctor and they just want to see how they are. And then we see a lot of seniors who have physicians, but they just want to keep a check on themselves.”

Capozzoli was one of three nurses working for the hospital and administering the free screenings.

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The community outreach program began last June, originally intended to hold clinics once or twice a week, the van now makes stops every weekday at various Long Island communities. Nurses check cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure with emphasis on the person’s cardiovascular health.

The individual checkup takes approximately seven minutes and patients received their results before they leave. In addition, each person who participated in the free health screening received pamphlets indicating how they can improve their health and well being.

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“We educate them on how to get their cholesterols better, how to control their blood sugars if they’re diabetic, how to avoid getting heart disease,” Capozzoli said.

Information is also supplied on heart-healthy diets, choosing the right food, what foods to avoid and exercise.

“Our biggest thing is walking for exercise and walking to stay active,” Capozzoli said.

Linda Wong, the first person to arrive to the screening, was already heeding that advice. She decided to walk to the library, which took her about 20 minutes and arrived half an hour early to give herself time to cool down and maintain a lower blood pressure for the screening.

A total of 13 residents took advantage of the screening and received a cardiac risk assessment record.

“Knowledge is power,” Capozzoli said. “Even if you have a family history of heart disease, you can prevent yourself from repeating history and getting it as well by changing your diet and exercising.”

Upcoming stops for the community outreach van include Amityville, Vally Stream, and Franklin Square, helping Long Islanders learn about their present cardiovascular health and finding out ways they can monitor and improve it.

“It’s a great program,” Cappozoli said. “Everyone should take advantage of it.”

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