The Colorado Black Health Collaborative (CBHC) was invited to screen for high blood pressure at the track meet hosted by the Montbello Cheetahs on June, 16th, 2018. The Montbello Cheetahs have continually partnered and collaborative with CBHC to outreach to the community. CBHC also partnered with students and faculty of the University of Colorado at Denver’s Nursing Program. The Nursing Program came prepared with surveys and research information to help raise awareness about mental health in low income communities. Not to mention they shared free goodies like fidget spinners and key rings with hand sanitizer! Was it just me that was excited about the hand sanitizer? Okay, in all seriousness though, mental health is such an important topic in our community that it is not always recognized. We were happy to have students from the Nursing Program help inform members of the community.
Although many people were coming to get screened to get out of the 85 degree heat, we managed to be in the coldest corner of the stadium. It was freezing! Nonetheless, it was a fruitful day and a total of 82 people were screened for high blood pressure. CBHC remains steadfast in educating and reaching out to the community. The CBHC’s vision is to achieve health equity in Colorado’s Black Community and to provide the Black community with information and resources to attain and sustain optimal health and well-being. CBHC meets the members of the community where they are to continuously promote the messages of health.
Reducing and eliminating the instances of high blood pressure (hypertension) in the community is important to CBHC because it leads to heart attacks and strokes, which we know are the leading causes of death not only in the United State, and disproportionately more so in our community. Knowing your numbers that measure the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats (systolic blood pressure) and the pressure in your blood vessel when your heart rests between beats (diastolic blood pressure) can be a life-saver. So next time you see CBHC out in the community, stop on by and get your blood pressure checked. It’s free. It’s very little time. It helps you!
By: Patrice Harris – a College Intern and CBHC Volunteer.