A quick visit to have your vital signs checked over could mean the difference between life and an early death say the organisers behind the visit of a men's health check up service visiting this year’s Narromine Show.
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Narromine Rotary Club has organised ‘MHERV’ or the Men's Health Educational Rural Van to visit the Show to provide check ups for rural men.
Mherv is a purpose-built caravan with two consulting rooms that has a full-time registered nurse who, with the occasional assistance of local community nurses, will conduct health tests among rural men.
Narromine Rotary club member Lewis Lydon said it’s important for rural men to come in and have a test, which could potentially save lives.
The more we can get guys to duck in and get the quick test on the day the better.
- Lewis Lydon
Around 41,000 Australian men die each year from preventable disease. That's four men and four grieving families every hour.
“Typically blokes are reluctant to go and see a doctor or they don’t want to admit there might be an issue, but yeah a lot of the time there might be something going on,” Mr Lydon said.
“[MHERV] has actually saved a few guys lives who were going to have imminent heart attacks. Nurses have pulled them up and said ‘hey get yourself to hospital right now for a check up’, so its been really useful for that and basically improving men’s health in rural areas,” he said.
“The more we can get guys to duck in and get the quick test on the day the better,” he said.
It is a 10 minute exercise that often saves lives and looks at:
- blood pressure – just to check the heart is not too stressed;
- body mass - height, weight and girth;
- blood sugar levels – just a pin-prick in the finger to make sure there is no type two diabetes which is manageable even if there is; and
- Cholesterol – just another pin-prick to see if levels are high and need attention.
“It’s pretty quick and easy, they’ve made it designed so the guys don’t feel too uncomfortable its a quick in and out process,” Mr Lydon said.
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Mr Lydon said there’s no excuse not to get a health test, which are offered by Rotary free of charge, with costs met by Rotary fundraising and sponsorship.
The MHERV van will be at the Narromine Show on Saturday, September 1 from 9am until 5pm.
Zaarkacha Marlan
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
