Hundreds Receive Free Advice and Medical Screenings at Menifee/Sun City Health Expo

Employees of Menifee Valley Medical Center check the blood pressure and lipid panel of residents at Thursday's Menifee/Sun City Health Expo. Hundreds of local residents attended the annual event. Below, Deane Manning of Superior Hearing Aid Service uses a scope to check the hearing of Sandra Schilling.

Sandra Schilling of Sun City learned the importance of regular medical screenings a few years ago. Early detection of diabetes enabled her to seek treatment that has made for a more comfortable life.

That's one reason she showed up at the Sun City/Menifee Senior Health Expo, hosted on Thursday by the Sun City Civic Association.

"I was curious that maybe I had a blockage in my carotid artery, but I got tested and it was fine," Schilling said. "They think it might just be allergies. Now that I know it's clear, it's a relief.

"I definitely recommend this kind of screening for everyone. A lot of seniors have nothing but Medicare coverage. Here, you can come and find out what's offered."

For the second straight year, hundreds of local residents took advantage of the event, held in the North Town Hall at the SCCA facility on Sun City Boulevard. Dozens of booths manned by health care centers, doctors, testing services and support groups offered free health screening, pamphlets and friendly advice.

Menifee Valley Medical Center had several tables set up all along one wall. In addition to Carotid Doppler screening, the center had on site two cardiologists, a general surgeon, nutritionists, respiratory therapists and technicians taking lipid panels and blood pressure.

"This goes with our mission: Commitment for Healthier Communities," said Gregory Padilla, administrator of the center. "We're here to do preventive medicine. We hope to catch things now before they become problems later in life."

Across the aisle, a representative from a local support group for visually impaired people passed out literature and offered advice. A few tables down, employees of Superior Hearing Aid Service providing hearing tests. In one of several booths manned by employees of Loma Linda University's Murrieta Medical Center, a live demonstration showed how doctors can insert a scope through the nose and down the throat to test a person's voice and swallowing.

"We have a mix of Loma Linda doctors and investment physicians who support the hospital," said Kathryn Stiles, marketing director for the medical center. "We've had seven or eight open heart surgeries performed at Murrieta."

Tom Bloom of Miller-Jones Mortuary serves on the committee that planned this event. His group was responsible for the free lunches that were served.

"We do health care seminars around the Valley, so we were happy to help with this event," Bloom said. "This is not about promoting us. The real heroes are the hospitals."