Share & Care’s 8th annual health fair in Mahwah serves local community

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The Share & Care Foundation’s 8th Annual Health & Wellness Fair, held Sunday, October 20, 2019, at Hindu Samaj Mandir in Mahwah, New Jersey, provided health and wellness checks for 120 local residents who would not otherwise be able to afford these services.

Participants were overjoyed at the opportunity, and expressed heartfelt appreciation for the time and effort from devoted, hard-working volunteers, including medical professionals who ranged from internists to cardiologists. It is estimated that the professional services, free of charge to all participants, were valued upwards of $100,000. Their service also makes it possible for Share & Care to conduct the annual event at virtually zero cost.

Thanks to hours and hours of preparation from a team of volunteers ahead of time, each participant was given the one-on-one attention they deserve, according to a press release.

Participants were encouraged to register early so they could have blood drawn a week prior, October 13, at the same location. The free blood screenings made it possible to arrange one-on-one consultations with volunteer medical specialists during the Health & Wellness Fair, based on individual results. In all, 75 recipients pre-registered and 45 registered on the day of the event, October 20.

Each participant had their blood pressure checked and recorded along with their weight and body mass index. Internists and lifestyle managers, i.e., weight and nutrition specialists, reviewed each and made referrals as needed to volunteer specialists that included cardiologists, endocrinologists, neurologists, nephrologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, pain management specialists, psychiatrists, and OB/GYNs. Some participants saw as many as four different specialists.

Flu shots were also offered and more than 70 were administered. Additionally, 65 participants took advantage of free eye screenings provided by participating ophthalmologists and the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.  Volunteer pharmacists, acupuncturists, physical therapists, massage therapists, and dentists were also on hand.

Dr. Bharti Palkhiwala, serves on the Share & Care board and as the organization’s “Healthcare to Unreached” program director. Working with a devoted team of volunteers, Dr. Palkhiwala joined forces with Dr. Savita Khosla to bring basic healthcare services to this year’s recipients.

Share & Care Foundation was founded in New Jersey in 1982 to give back by creating opportunities for deserving women and children living in poverty in India. Today, Share & Care works with community NGOs to initiate interconnected education, healthcare, sanitation & hygiene, and female empowerment programs to create long-term impact and sustainable change.