Valley Health at the Robert C. Byrd Center in Harts will be hosting the Harts Health Party again this week on Thursday.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The bi-annual one day extravaganza takes place at the Harts Health Center located in Lincoln County. The first event took place in 1992 when the health care providers in Harts noticed a need for increased awareness of health related issues and the benefit of education and promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Free screenings were administered at the event because many local residents either have no insurance or are underinsured. What started out as a small health fair soon blossomed into a major community event well attended by residents of Logan, Wayne, Boone, Mingo and other counties outside of Lincoln.

According to Dr. Linda Kessinger, more than 300 volunteer workers, 80 organizations (including representatives from government agencies, health care providers, service organizations, vendors and non-profit agencies along with 5,000 people are a part of the Harts Health Party.

The event has a feeling of community fun to draw more people to it and often attracts people who might otherwise not see a physician. The primary goal of the Harts Health Fair is to educate the public about wellness and to catch health problems like diabetes and other illnesses in the early stage so that they can be treated more effectively. Once, a new mother was diagnosed with Leukemia as a result of an abnormal test result done at the health fair. She is currently in remission. Another woman was diagnosed with Melanoma on her leg at the Health Party by a dermatologist who examined her.

One woman was diagnosed with Glaucoma which was treated and that helped prevent further damage or blindness. Other women have been discovered to have breast and cervical cancers at the Health Fair and were able to get treatment and are now doing well.

Chapmanville resident Bruce Bennett who is a local community health activist pointed out that there have been many state and local stories about health care issues in southern West Virginia from associated press reports about high cancer death rates being linked to lack of screenings and lack of insurance to local stories about the high mortality rate faced by local women in The Logan Banner and noted the Harts Health Fair is an excellent way for the public to get free medical screenings and information about health issues such as diabetes, black lung, heart and circulation ailments and more.

One story noted that nearly 1,500 West Virginians between the ages of 25 and 64 died in part because they lacked health insurance between the years 2000 and 2006. In neighboring Kentucky which is culturally very similar to West Virginia, 470 people died from lack of health insurance. A spokesperson for West Virginia Health Rite noted many people die because they go to a doctor for advice too late after their disease has already started doing damage to their body. Current estimates claim 245,000 West Virginia residents are uninsured.

The event is a massive health fair to promote healthy living and offers the public free medical screenings, free medical advice and a host of services including:

* Blood Pressure checks; blood glucose tests; breathing tests; cholesterol screenings; dental health checks; heart health checks; thyroid checks; body mass index and circulation exams along wit Black Lung information, free chest x-rays and pulmonary function tests as well as Diabetes education and scans for body health, foot care, osteoporosis, surgical screenings, STD screenings and more.

Children can receive screenings and information including growth charts; immunizations; physical exams and more. Pregnant women can get ultrasounds and urine tests as well as parenting education.

The Health Fair also features food and entertainment each year, This year it will present the National Anthem and a gun salute from the Disabled American Veterans; WW and the Bluegrass Ramblers; Linda Ramey; Verne Slasson; Schoch and Lara Donahoe; Elaine Purkey; Heidie Mueller; The Mill Creek Express and area cloggers and cheerleaders.

Young people will also enjoy a Wii Fitness tournament featuring Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero. 304 Marketing has provided prizes for the tournament. There will also be a rock wall for adventurers, and inflatable amusements from Kidland.

The Health Fair draws a massive crowd from across the region and parking will be at Route 10 just north of downtown Harts in fields and lots surrounding Logan Bank and Trust. Shuttle service back and forth will be provided.

The event is sponsored by Valley Health, The American Red Cross, Logan Bank and Trust and others.