<< Peninsula News 13 August 2002 - Health Check for local residents >>

Health Check for local residents

A van from Health Check Australia visited Woy Woy from July 29 to August 6 to test the health of local residents.

The Health Check van is run by a non-profit organisation based in Queensland.

Its vans tour Australia providing speedy results for tests such as cholesterol, blood glucose, iron anaemia, blood pressure, height, weight and cardiovascular disease.

Bill Pogan, an ex-ambulance officer, ran the tests at Woy Woy.

He has been travelling around Australia with his van for the last two years.

"I live where my pillow happens to be, and at the moment it happens to be on the Central Coast," he said.

Mr Pogan said that he was impressed with locals' awareness of health matters.

"I've been very busy and that indicates that there is a greater awareness of the general public and that's a good sign.

"It's been better than I anticipated," he said.

Mr Pogan said that he would have liked to have seen more people in their 30s.

"We become creatures of habit and by the 30s we tend to start to isolate certain food groups from our diet because we don't like certain things.

"This can lead to certain deficiencies in certain areas which leads to problems further down the track.

"So to see people coming in from their 30s upwards is very good.

"It's better than waiting until people reach 60 or 70 and then have to try to fix up something that they've had for 30 or 40 years," he said.

Mr Pogan said that people should opt for preventative measures when it comes to their health and realise the risks associated with fad diets and fad lifestyles.

He said that the largest number of tests he had done in the area was for cholesterol and diabetes.

"In light of the fact that last week you had the breast clinic van here, one of the tests that we also feel is very important is for men of a senior age is the check for prostate cancer," he said.

"More and more men are becoming more conscious of that now and we have the opportunity of doing a simple blood sample test to indicate whether they have a potential problem or not."

Mr Pogan said that the health check van was an easy alternative to going through the local medical system as the tests were easy and delivered within half an hour.

"A little pin prick - it doesn't hurt me a bit," he said.

"If they have a problem, we try to guide patients with the correct information, depending on the range of problems they might have."

"Hopefully, they walk out with a smile on their dial," he said.

Most people visiting the van in Woy Woy were over 50.

Ken Weigh of Brickwharf Rd, Woy Woy, visited the van for a health check.

"I think that something you can't buy is good health," he said.

"The doctors can do a certain amount but you have to do something yourself.

"You've got to look after you own body.

The cost of the health checks ranged from $15 for a diabetes check to $150 for a full body check. Some private health insurance schemes covered the cost.

Alison Branley, August 2