Visit Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 325 Maine, on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. for the annual LMH Health Fair. Community members are invited to take advantage of the many free screenings and exhibits. In addition, flu shots and blood work are available for a nominal fee. The following is a preview of some of the activities you can expect to see at this year’s health fair.

Lawrence Memorial Hospital is a major sponsor of WellCommons.

Blood Work – From 7 to 10 a.m. blood work will be offered. The fee is $30 ($40 for men who want the prostate cancer screening blood test) if registration is received by Sept. 19. You also can register at the door, and the fee is $40 for the blood draw only and $50 for men who want the prostate blood test. Do not eat or drink anything for 10-12 hours prior to having your blood drawn except for water and necessary medications. For a registration form, call 505-6179 and ask for a Health Fair Specialist, or download it at lmh.org.

Flu Shots – The Visiting Nurses Association will provide flu shots for $25. They will accept cash or check, or they will bill Medicare if participants bring their cards. They will not bill other third-party payers.

Blood Pressure Screenings – According to the Centers for Disease Control, having high blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke. People of all ages and backgrounds can develop high blood pressure, and it’s preventable. Find out if you have high blood pressure at this screening, provided by volunteer nurses from the Kansas State Nursing Association and student nurses from Washburn University.

Skin Cancer Screening – The National Cancer Institute recommends skin cancer screenings because they can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. Due to a limited number of providers, we request only people who weren’t screened in the last year undergo this screening, which is provided by Kansas Medical Clinic.

Hearing Screening – More than 30 percent of people over age 65 have some type of hearing loss and 14 percent of those between 45 and 64 have hearing loss. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends that adults be screened at least every decade through age 50 and at three-year intervals thereafter. This screening is provided by Lawrence Otolaryngology.

Body Mass Index – The body mass index (BMI) screening calculates a number from your weight and height. This number can be a useful reference tool and can be used to identify potential weight-related health problems. LMH Community Education is providing this screening.

Bone Density Screening – Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to weaken to the point where they can break easily. Are you at risk? This quick, easy screening, provided by KU Pharmacy students, can indicate if further testing for this potentially debilitating disease is needed.

Blood Sugar Screening (Glucose) – According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.6 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes. That totals 7.8 percent of the population, and this number is expected to nearly double by the year 2034. Find out if you are at risk with this screening, provided by LMH Diabetes Center. An overnight fast is preferable. Glucose is also included in the venous blood work, so if you are having blood work you don’t need to do both.

Vision Screening – Provided by Lawrence Noon Lions Club members and Dr. Steve Flory.

Balance Screening – Provided by LMH Therapy Services.

Podiatry Screening – Provided by Dr. Cleve Pilakowski and Lawrence Podiatry Center staff.

Lung Function Screening – Provided by LMH Pulmonary Care Department.

Medication Questions – Staff from the LMH Pharmacy will be available to answer your questions.

Patient Portal – For information or to enroll, talk to LMH Admission staff.

There also will be many informational displays by area health care providers, including a display of the INvisible Project, a program of the U.S. Pain Foundation that highlights the day-to-day experiences of pain survivors through photographs. For more information about the LMH Health Fair, visit lmh.org.

Aynsley Anderson, MA, RN, is Community Education Coordinator at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, a major sponsor of WellCommons. She can be reached at aynsley.anderson@lmh.org.