The City of Huron’s Get Fit Committee applied for and received a WorkWell Mini-Grant through the South Dakota Department of Health. The goal of the grant is to provide South Dakota worksites with funding and resources to send a positive, supportive message and promote healthy lifestyles by preventing, reducing, and managing chronic disease through workplace environment and/or policy change.
The City of Huron has worked on a variety of projects through the WorkWell Grant opportunity. The following is a success story written by the Huron Get Fit Committee on their annual health fair:
The Annual Cancer Awareness Health Fair invites employees and their family members to participate and learn more about cancer and prevention. Booths are set up from a variety of different vendors including Huron Regional Medical Center and the Huron Clinic who have participated every year since its start in 2016. As a committee, our goal for the health fair is to reduce health insurance premiums by early detection so cancer is curable and the employee and family members can return to normal activities as soon as possible should cancer be detected.
Planning and development of the health fair included consideration of who will attend and what screenings they would want. We also considered if a recommendation is made for follow-up with their health care provider, will the employee or family member be committed to do so? We found that employees do understand the value of early detection and are seeking information and follow-up. A City of Huron employee first learned about abnormal results from a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood draw at the health fair which was later diagnosed as the early stages of prostate cancer. As word spread about the cancer diagnosis, many of the male employees over age 50 requested this test annually. By having it at the event, they do not have to pay a $25.00 office visit co-pay to see their doctor or take time off work to go into the clinic.
Some of the services and screenings offered in years past include full body skin cancer screening, bone density, breast cancer awareness, colorectal cancer kits, head, neck & throat cancer screening, lung cancer education, prostate cancer PSA screening, skin damage dermacan (face only), spirometer test, and tobacco cessation education.
Next year, we are looking at adding more health awareness issues including hearing, dental, and vision as well as a map to illustrate which vendors are there and what information and screenings they provide. The event is growing each year!
“We take pride in offering an opportunity for employees to focus on their own personal health.”
–Shanna Sterrett, City of Huron Executive Secretary/IT Coordinator