It was just what the doctor ordered!
Boys, men, and the people who love them gathered at Borough Hall on June 17 for the Men’s Health Symposium and Expo, where gents scored free health advice and screenings from the pros.
But for many, the most important words of wisdom came from amateur fitness fanatic Borough President Adams, who discussed his family history of diabetes and his battle to stay on top of it.
“Hearing the president’s testimony about his own health and how he overcame by changing his lifestyle — that stuck out,” said Felicia Watts, who was there as a representative for the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services. “He really encouraged the audience to take steps.”
Adams also corralled physicians and other experts together for a panel on men’s health, where they spoke candidly about some taboo subjects for many men, including colonoscopies and HIV.
Health-care professionals say they also used the event to break down other barriers, showing guys that there is nothing emasculating about getting a routine physical.
“Some men don’t like to see the doctor, so we are here providing them a service,” said Ludgy Louis-Charles, a patient care assistant at Woodhull hospital in Bedford–Stuyvesant.
Woodhull conducted more than 50 free screenings for hypertension and diabetes, according to Charles.
This was the first year Borough Hall has staged the event, and many attendees said they’ll definitely be back for next year.
“It’s important for men to take care of themselves so they can help take care of their families,” said Watts. “This is my first men’s health symposium and I will definitely be back. I love what they’re doing for the community.”
