For many of our patients, community health fairs provide access to so many health and wellness services and health screenings in one location and in one day. We have many patients who return each year to not only engage with the community, but to also supplement regular wellness visits.
That’s why TrueCare invites North County residents to celebrate community wellness and promote infant health by attending its free Flourish & Nourish Health Fair and Breast Milk Drive on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at TrueCare’s Mission Mesa Campus, 2210 Mesa Drive, Oceanside.
The annual health fair and breast milk drive provides the community with important access to health and wellness information and vital health screenings, including food distribution, dental screenings/fluoride varnish, all necessary immunizations from birth through essential back-to-school shots and a blood drive benefiting the San Diego Blood Bank.
According to the San Diego Blood Bank, one pint of blood can save up to three lives, and more than 350 units of blood need to be collected each day to meet the needs of local patients battling life-threatening blood disorders and cancers, suffering from traumas or accidents, or undergoing complications during childbirth. Thanks to blood donors in our community, local patients receive lifesaving care.
Local patients are able to receive the lifesaving care they need for a healthy life thanks to blood donors in our community.
At the Flourish & Nourish Health Fair & Breast Milk Drive, there will be an array of free items and activities for children and the entire family, including backpacks to get them ready and excited for the upcoming school year. As a community-based health center serving North County San Diego and South Riverside County with comprehensive health care services, TrueCare makes its services available to everyone regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
Most importantly, the health fair highlights TrueCare’s ongoing commitment to the pursuit of health equity, which ensures that the quality of care does not vary based on an individual’s race or background. Equity is a foundational pillar of TrueCare’s robust service model. TrueCare staff believe that the organization’s leadership is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.
In partnership with University of California Health Milk Bank, TrueCare will collect nutritious human donor milk for babies in need. Studies have shown that human breast milk provided by the mother, or a donor, measurably reduces the risk of a premature newborn developing necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating intestinal disease that can be fatal. Necrotizing enterocolitis is a leading cause of infant mortality, affecting thousands of newborns each year.
Proper nourishment is critical for these vulnerable infants, and when a mother’s breast milk is unavailable or insufficient, pasteurized donor human milk is the best alternative to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis and boost survival rates.
According to the University of California Health Milk Bank, donor breast milk is used primarily for feeding sick, premature or young infants when their mother does not have sufficient milk supply for their nutritional needs. Sometimes this is just for the first few days as the mother builds her supply, but some mothers are too sick or have a health condition that does not permit them to breastfeed their newborn.
The benefits of using donor milk instead of infant formula are especially impressive for very preterm babies under 3 pounds at birth. These infants, when fed only the mothers’ milk or donor milk, have greatly reduced rates of infection, serious intestinal complications, better neurodevelopmental outcomes and even fewer trips back to the hospital after they go home from the NICU.
Despite high breastfeeding rates in California, there is a large donor milk distribution problem, leading to shortages for sick or premature infants. This health fair will provide the community with an opportunity to donate breast milk and make a significant difference in the lives of premature newborns.
Studies have shown that community health fairs that provide participants with free medical services, education and community resources can be an effective way to provide health care resources to people from underserved or historically marginalized communities.
The family-friendly health fair and breast milk drive will provide the community with an opportunity to engage in these community resources, donate life-saving blood and essential breast milk, and enjoy a day of fun with giveaways and prizes. Community partners will also participate with live demonstrations, interactive experiences and more.
Learn more about the event at truecare.org.
Gonzales is director of community engagement at TrueCare and lives in Vista.
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