BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — With so many notebooks and folders to gather for back-to-school, Bronson is reminding people that a child’s health is more important than anything on the supply list.
Power Up Back to School and Better Health Fair Sunday brought together the community as the summer ends, and the adults got a checkup too.
After years of renovations and investments to the Bronson Battle Creek Hospital, the health system says the time is now to make healthier choices a part of that new school routine.
With the help of the Southwestern Michigan Urban League, they passed out backpacks stuffed with supplies, tested blood pressure and handed out plates of free lunch.
Bronson says common health issues like obesity can be improved just by letting the community know they’re here to help.
“A lot of people don’t trust going to the hospital,” Chief Operating Officer Joseph du Lac said. “You know, they’re afraid, there’s a fear about doctors and surgeons…we want to break down those fears and build really a trust in our hospital.”
The biggest emphasis was on nutrition, both for what kids eat at home and what they eat at the school cafeteria table.
Families were given salad options as part of their free meal, and raw vegetables provided by Farmacy grocery store.
The president of the Urban League pointed out two particular zip codes in the area he classified as both food and health deserts, where residents’ access to this kind of healthy eating is limited.
“You’ll find that there are disparities when it comes to obesity, when it comes to hypertension and when it comes to diabetes,” Southwestern Michigan Urban League President and CEO Michael Patton said.
He says it’s a particular problem in the African-American community, where trust in health care is often low.
One tent at the fair was dedicated to blood sugar screenings to catch nutrition issues before they begin.
“Sometimes that’s that our eating habits aren’t that well, sometimes that means that we may not have the medical support that we need to be able to go to the doctors,” Patton said.
Some parents we spoke with took advantage of the free summer pre-screenings.
Robert Newton says the only health concern he has for his six kids this school year is one of them bringing home an illness from class.
“I’ve got faith in the school for the food and the education all around,” he said, referring to Prairieview Elementary where his children attend. “They’ve been really good the last few years to the kids and us.”
Bronson has other outreach events on its calendar, including cancer screenings by appointment.
