̨Íåswag

A quartet of University of North Georgia (̨Íåswag) academic departments are partnering to offer the second annual Bilingual Health Fair from 9 a.m. to noon March 30 in the Hugh Mills Physical Education Complex at ̨Íåswag's Gainesville Campus.  

The goal of the fair is to provide health screenings, health promotion, and wellness resources to the underserved populations in Gainesville. The fair has a focus on the Latinx population, but all underserved community members are welcome. 

"The community response to the event last year was positive. Attendees appreciated the opportunity to access bilingual health resources in a welcoming environment," Maria Jose Maguire, a faculty member of Spanish, said. "The participants found the event informative and beneficial for their health and well-being. Feedback from community members indicated a desire for the event to continue in the future, highlighting its importance and impact on the local community." 

This health fair will provide learning opportunities in community health for students in the counseling, modern languages, nursing, and physical therapy programs. It will also allow students to practice interdisciplinary communication and care for individuals, as the students will work in teams and be paired with a family during the health fair.   

"An element that makes this project unique is the collaboration between four interdisciplinary departments for students, community, faculty, staff, and local services," Nina Wright, nursing faculty member and population health course coordinator said. "The fair will bring members of the community together, will create a bridge between ̨Íåswag and the Latinx community, and will provide health education and promotion."  

Nallely Lopera, a senior from Lula, Georgia, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is glad ̨Íåswag is helping increase community members' comfort level in receiving health care.  

"When there is a language barrier, patients hold back on what to express because they're afraid of not being understood," Lopera said. "This fair will seek to break that language barrier."  

Meredith Townsend, a third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student from Douglasville, Georgia, assisted with the fair last year and is looking forward to being part of it again.  

"It's a great opportunity for us to get out in the community and make known what physical therapy can do to help people's health," Townsend said. "I'm glad we are able to bridge a gap and help people maintain their health. We're able to build more trust with these community members."  

For fellow third-year DPT student Melissa Martinez, a Dalton, Georgia, native who has family who work in carpet mills, she knows first-hand the need for events like the Bilingual Health Fair that make health care seem more accessible.   

"One of the reasons I am becoming a physical therapist is because I want to serve my community in this way," Martinez said. "I know how much physical therapy can make a difference, especially when working in factories."  

Dr. Brian Maloney, assistant professor of physical therapy, is grateful for the opportunity the students have as part of the fair.  

"It's a great experience for the students to be able to collaborate with other disciplines, learn about resources and give back to the community," Maloney said.