Southwest Medical Center Announces 2024 Community Health Fair with Free Lab Testing Sponsored by the City of Liberal

by Janeth Vazquez SWMC

Southwest Medical Center (SWMC) is proud to announce the 2024 Community Health Fair, set to take place on Saturday, October 5th, at the Seward County Activity Center. This year’s event will offer free general lab testing, thanks to the generous support of the City of Liberal and local businesses.

The City of Liberal has committed $30,000 from the community development portion of the 1-cent sales tax to reduce visitor lab testing fees at this year’s fair. Apex Clean Energy has also contributed $5,000 to the cause. These contributions will allow SWMC to provide 1,000 free general lab tests. Should the number of attendees surpass this figure, SWMC will cover the additional costs, ensuring that everyone who attends the health fair can receive free general testing.

The free lab tests available include:

Comprehensive Metabolic Profile
Lipid Profile
Thyroid Screen
Complete Blood Count
Vitamin Panel (Vitamin D & Vitamin B12)

Optional tests will be available for a nominal fee of $7 each, including:
PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen)
CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen)
HGB A1C (Glycated Hemoglobin)
Magnesium

In addition to lab testing, the health fair will offer a variety of other free screenings and services, including:
Blood Pressure Checks
Clinical Breast Exams
Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Consultations
Spirometry Testing
Pulse Oximetry Testing
Visual Acuity/Vision Screens
Field of Vision Tests
Blood Sugar Tests
Skin Cancer Screenings
Oral Cancer Screenings
Physical Therapy Evaluations
Surgery Checkup (lumps, bumps, and hernias)
Physicals

Event organizer and City Commissioner Janeth Vazquez emphasized the importance of the health fair for the community: “We know that Southwest Kansas has one of the highest uninsured rates in the whole state. It is our duty to be there for our community, and this health fair will help us stay healthy. The screenings offered will aid in early detection and preventive care is so important because it helps you stay healthy and access prompt treatment when necessary.”

Mayor Jose Lara added, “We care for our residents and want them to be proactive about their health. These free tests will benefit everyone. When our community is healthy, we all thrive together.”

Southwest Medical Center extends its gratitude to the event’s sponsors—Golden Plains Credit Union, Windtree Management and Leasing, Heartland Oncology, Central Care Cancer Center, and KSCB—whose support has been instrumental in keeping the health fair’s services low-cost or free for all attendees.

Join us on October 5th at the Seward County Activity Center for a day dedicated to your health and well-being. Don’t miss this opportunity to take charge of your health with comprehensive, no-cost screenings and services. Visitors interested in having lab tests done at the health fair should plan to fast for at least eight hours before testing.

For more information about attending or sponsoring the 2024 Community Health Fair, please contact Janeth Vazquez at (620) 629-6335 or Rachel Downing at (620) 629-6424. Event updates are available on the Southwest Medical Center’s Facebook and Instagram pages.