Mothers' Day at the
Cedar Key Food Pantry
May 3, 2024
Cedar Key’s Food Pantry honored women this past Wednesday, May 1, 2024, with a host of assets to help them all live longer, healthier lives. The Florida Department of Health recently acquired a brand new bus assigned to bring to rural Levy Gilcrist, and Dixie Counties myriad screenings to identify early indicators of illnesses that may likely occur in rural areas. Blood pressure screening, vision screening, and more were among the areas tested that Wednesday.
STATISTICS FOR THE DAY:
Thirty appointments were made.
All attendees received blood pressure and vision screening.
Five made appointments for free mammograms.
Seventeen had pap smears or breast examinations.
Thirty appointments were made.
All attendees received blood pressure and vision screening.
Five made appointments for free mammograms.
Seventeen had pap smears or breast examinations.
ORDER OF THE DAY
After calling for appointments, ladies, women, arrived and had their vision and blood pressure checked. After that, the additional examinations occurred.
After calling for appointments, ladies, women, arrived and had their vision and blood pressure checked. After that, the additional examinations occurred.
The Health Department and the Food Pantry offered many gifts to the visiting women: sunscreen, all sorts of skin creams, perfumed soaps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, insulated lunch bags, and more were among them.
When finished, each woman received a beautifully robust rose and a raffle ticket. Three prizes
were awarded in the raffle: a coiffure appointment with Haley Simpson, lunch at the Prickly Pear, or a basket full of personal sundries.
were awarded in the raffle: a coiffure appointment with Haley Simpson, lunch at the Prickly Pear, or a basket full of personal sundries.
DIRECTOR’S COMMENTS
Cedar Key Food Pantry Director Sue Colson, nurse and mayor, stressed the myriad problems confronting people seeking health care in rural areas. Nationally, hospitals in rural areas are closing at an alarming rate; time taken from work to seek screenings and check ups are difficult; costs associated with such screenings, gas, parking, and co-pays can be prohibitive; these name but a few.
Cedar Key Food Pantry Director Sue Colson, nurse and mayor, stressed the myriad problems confronting people seeking health care in rural areas. Nationally, hospitals in rural areas are closing at an alarming rate; time taken from work to seek screenings and check ups are difficult; costs associated with such screenings, gas, parking, and co-pays can be prohibitive; these name but a few.
Colson believes that rural health issues and prevention can be greatly reduced with trained staff and mobile health vehicles, such as the one used today.
CDC REPORTS RURAL HEALTH WORSE THAN URBAN HEALTH
“CDC data show that people living in rural counties have a higher risk of dying early from one of the five leading causes of death - cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, and unintentional injury - than people living in urban counties. Many of these deaths are preventable.”
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE CDC RURAL HEALTH INFORMATION
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