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By Tiffany Jackson
While some people were busy working or eating eggs, bacon, pancakes and oatmeal, Tom Joyner was visiting the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in celebration of Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day. Take a Loved One to the Doctor is an annual campaign created by Joyner to promote health awareness within the African American community. With the 94.5 K-Soul crew behind him, the health fair was a real success. People visited the tables picking up informative brochures or taking an array of health related tests. Joyner beamed with joy as he watched the crowds gather at the tables.
“This is our initiative, we can not just talk about it but this is our call to action to do something about the disparities of health that affect the African American community,” said Tom Joyner, the hardest working man in show business. “When we get sick in our community it’s devastating because of the diseases like diabetes and obesity.
According to BlackHealthCare.com, diabetes mellitus is one of the most serious health challenges facing more than 30 million African Americans today and under the National Health and Nutrition Survey conducted between 1976 and 1980 the survey showed a substantial increase in obesity among blacks age 20 to 74. The cases for both diabetes and obesity are at a higher rate today than over 20 years ago. Today, younger African Americans are becoming obese therefore; it leads to more diabetes cases.
Dr. Ian Smith, founder of the 50 Million Pound Challenge and host of Celebrity Fit sees obesity as a major issue. He challenges mullions to eat right and exercise to live long and healthy lives. This is the second year that he has participated in the free health screening.
“I am here today because I am concerned about our African American community and I understand the great need to live healthy lives,” said Dr. Smith. “Look at Tom, he has lost so much weight and it is not because his wife Donna Richardson is a trainer, no he decided that he wanted to become healthy for himself. It is a challenge but the 50 Million Pound Challenge is now up tot two million pounds lost.”
Those who came out including community visitors and health vendors agreed that they were helped.
“We have to stress the importance of not taking more then the needed calories per day because it can lead to fatty tissues build-up, instead we must know our weight and how many calories we should consume daily,” said Mercedes Cruz of Parkland Community Health. “I have lost 70 pounds because I have watched the amount of calories I consume.”
Other vendors included Carter Bloodcare, Office of Civil Rights, Care Improvement Plus, Babies R’ Us, State Farm Insurance, Amerigroup, Dallas Healthy, A Program of Parkland Hospice, The Project Hope Foundation, ChildCareGroup and Vitas. Each vendor displayed a variety of information. No one left empty handed. Along with the pamphlets, attendees learned the importance of going to the doctor as well as taking those you love to get checked out. The broadcast takes place every year in April around 100 places throughout the U.S.
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