IU Health is hosting a community health fair on March 29, designed to encourage wellness, prevention and healthy living.
The event will be from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Ruth Lilly Education Center, 2055 N. Senate Ave. Admission is free, and attendees will have access to a wide range of resources and activities.
“This is an event that is open not just to adults, but this is about families,” said Lillian Caruthers, project manager of community outreach and engagement. “We are hoping families come out together.”
This health fair aims to provide visitors with valuable health services, including free screenings for blood pressure and other key health indicators. Participants can also enjoy live demonstrations of fitness routines and nutrition practices.
“Knowledge is power,” Caruthers said. “That is equally true when it comes to people when they are armed with evidence-based facts about their health, and they are aware of the latest technology and methods that are available to help them make a choice to embrace their health and wellness.”
The first 50 attendees aged 18 and older will receive a $15 Amazon gift card, and raffle prizes will be offered throughout the event. No registration is required, and parking is free.
In addition, IU Health’s mobile lung screening program, a 40-foot mobile unit designed to bring life-saving lung cancer screening technology directly to communities, will be present at the health fair. The first of its kind in Indiana, the mobile unit is equipped with a state-of-the-art low-dose CT scanner. The mobile unit primarily focuses on screenings in underserved communities, like rural areas.
“In many of these screenings, (the patient) is not sick, but it’s a screening to help catch something prior to having any signs or symptoms,” said Amy Sams, clinical operations manager. “So many of these screenings are overlooked in our rural communities because it’s not something that’s just available down the street.”
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. This is often due to late-stage detection when treatment options are limited. Early detection through low-dose CT scans can significantly increase survival rates by identifying cancer at its most treatable stages.
The mobile lung screening program is available to individuals meeting certain criteria. Eligible participants include those aged 50 to 80 (with Medicare coverage extending up to age 77) who have a 20-pack-year smoking history. This includes those who currently smoke or have quit within the last 15 years.
“Your health care can’t be defined by your zip code,” Sams said. “Living in a rural community shouldn’t define how you receive care.”
The screening process is quick and non-invasive, requiring no special preparation. It involves a low-dose CT scan that takes less than a minute to complete and does not use needles. Results are provided promptly through the My IU Health patient portal and shared with the patient’s primary care provider if follow-up care is needed.
The program is a joint effort between the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center and IU Health. It was made possible through an $8.5 million funding initiative, including a $4.5 million gift from the Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation.
In its first year, the mobile unit is expected to provide approximately 2,000 scans across Indiana. This approach reduces barriers to care, especially for those in underserved areas, ensuring more equitable access to life-saving screenings.
Attendees are encouraged to bring family and friends to the event. Whether you’re interested in exploring health screenings, engaging with fitness and nutrition experts or learning more about the mobile lung screening program, the event offers something for everyone.
For more information on the mobile lung screening program, call 317-962-LUNG (5864) or email lungscreening@iuhealth.org.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
