March Man-ness Puts Annual Event in Win Column for Fourth Time
| March 23, 2017 | Like the March Madness college basketball tournament from which it takes its name, March Man-ness Men’s Health Event organized by the UAMS 12th Street Center for Health & Wellness continues to draw the attendance of new and old fans alike.
For Dale Handie, 43, of Little Rock, it was his third time in the gymnasium at Saint Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock. His cholesterol sometimes measures above the healthy limit, so Handie wants to manage his diet to make sure he keeps it under control. The March Man-ness cholesterol screenings help him do that.
Almost 60 men and women on March 18 hit the gym floor at Saint Mark and circulated through adjacent rooms as they received free health care services, including blood pressure checks, glucose, HIV testing and physical examinations. Little Rock optometrist Doug Barton, O.D., provided vision testing to attendees. It was the fourth annual March Man-ness event.
UAMS student volunteers provided blood pressure checks to dozens of attendees at March Man-ness.
“Every year it’s a great turnout and event,” Handie said. “The students are nice and willing to help with any question. I always enjoy it and have made it a point to come to each one. I’ll be here next year.”
Males also had blood drawn, provided by Epoch Men’s Health, to check testosterone levels, cholesterol levels and prostate sensitive antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer screenings and other blood components necessary for optimal health. A panel of health care professionals, pharmacists and physicians along with UAMS students supervised by them were on hand to answer personal health questions.
Joni Meads attended March Man-ness for the first time. She recently retired from her position as a high school principal in Las Vegas, Nevada, and relocated along with her husband to Jacksonville.
“It was awesome,” Meads said referring to the event. “The overall health screening was excellent. These are the things we need to address to take care of ourselves. The staff was excellent and very friendly and welcoming. I understand why the name is ‘March Man-ness.’ I think women generally are more apt to get checked, and we can encourage the men to come with us.”
Free food, T-shirts, educational materials, child care and activities were provided. Epoch Men’s Health, Linq for Life, and ARcare also were sponsors and provided supplies and services for March MAN-ness.
Lanita White, Pharm.D., director of the 12th Street Center, said that from the very start, Saint Mark also has been a key partner in the success of March March Man-ness, providing the venue as well as helping with outreach.
“When we participate in community events, we want it to be informative, but we want it to be fun, too,” said Sarah Theriot, a second-year student in the UAMS College of Medicine and the center’s director of external events. “Patients enjoyed being there. They received information and screenings, some of which are expensive. I think they also enjoyed having the March Madness games playing on the giant screen, a giveaway every hour, a free lunch. The message was: Come in, hang out. We want it to be inviting, not intimidating to participate in these screenings.”