"Don't hesitate to give 10 minutes of your busy day to get free basic health screening", says the Registered Nurse who travels around NSW with the Men's Health Education Rural Van (mherv).
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Literally, "It could save your life".
The van will be in Cowra, outside Silly Sollys in Kendal Street, on Saturday, April 6 and Monday, April 8.
Organised by Rotary, an initiative of the Warners Bay Rotary Club, the mherv will be manned from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday and again on Monday.
Over the past five years it is estimated that over 450 lives have been saved because of these free basic health checks.
The van provides a free health check for men (and women).
Accommodation in Cowra for the the Registered Nurse working with the van has been provided by Club Cowra.
The nurse is happy to take your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels; and have a general quick chat about your health.
Many men in the country have diabetes which can be asymptomatic. Without a test, they may not know they have serious, yet treatable health problems looming.
"mherv" sees around 3,500 patients each year and it is no surprise how many males have undetected symptoms.
We don't know how many rural men have already died suddenly for want of a basic health check or how many mherv will save on future trips.
But people who have not seen their doctor for several years are in high numbers in rural areas.
Around 40% of men who take advantage of a mherv visit to their towns require following up with a GP.
Project leader Adrian Payne says, "While men are our key target as we don't want them dropping dead in the paddock, ladies are also welcome."
Rotary kindly acknowledges the support of the NSW Department of Health and Electrodry in making this free service possible.
