CEDARVILLE — Some students in the Cedarville University sSchool of Pharmacy have partnered with a local emergency shelter to practice their skills and serve the community.
On Wednesday, April 18, students will provide free health screenings at Bridges of Hope, 1087 W. Second St., Xenia. In addition to basic blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, the students will counsel individuals about medications they take and how to use them correctly.
The event will be the group’s second time conducting free screenings at Bridges of Hope, and is part of what they hope will be a long-term relationship with the shelter.
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US. It’s one of those diseases that is very preventable if you know about it and can start taking care of it,” said Christy Varghese, a first-year pharmacy student helping lead the effort. “That’s why I think it’s really important to be able to give people these opportunities for a free screening.”
Student efforts are also focused on providing service that fits with real needs in the community, Varghese added. That is why, for their first event at Bridges of Hope in March, the group provided information about medications and how to use them correctly. They also brought opioid disposal bags and flyers with information about drug dropoff boxes to provide safe ways for people to dispose of extra or unwanted medications.
“Especially in these communities, their life is really hard,” Varghese said. “I think it’s important to show them that there are places where they can get help and there are people who do care.”
