Posted April 8, 2017

St. Patrick Parish in Norristown is working with local clinicians, volunteers from Saint Joseph University, Mercy Health System, and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine to provide medical care for those in need. After the noon Mass on the first Sunday of each month, the parish hosts a walk-in health fair for area residents, many of whom are Mexican immigrants, in the church’s basement hall.

Participants receive free screenings for diabetes, tuberculosis, hypertension, eye and dental conditions. Pregnant women can also obtain prenatal vitamins and baby boxes – sturdy, cardboard cribs designed to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Read more about the health fair.

(Photos by Sarah Webb)

  • Sr Sarah Lodge, RSM, Francisco Lopez (fellow at St Joseph University), Maricela Valerio, Jenny Schadt (senior fellow at St Joseph University), and Beztriz Torre (junior fellow at St Joseph University) get a chance to meet Maricela’s twins Catalella and Allison and talk to her about infant care.

  • Angelica Italiano (center) and Brighid Imperiale (right), first year medical students at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, perform medical screenings for clients at the monthly health clinic at St. Patrick Church in Norristown. (Sarah Webb)

  • Marvin Lee (center), PdD at the Institute for Bioethics at St Joseph University, and Liam O’Neill (right), fresmand undergrand at St Joseph University, distribute reading glasses to those in need.

  • Perry Singh, graduate assitant at the Institue of Clinical Bioethics at St Joseph University, give a dental examination.

  • Vincent Pepe, who is bi-lingual, gives and eye exam at the clinic at St Patrick in Norristown.

  • St Joseph University student Gabriel Angeles takes a blood pressure reading.

  • Senior undergraudate students from St Joseph University Brendan Gleason and Gabriella Mamo expalin to patients the results of their blood pressure and diabetes screenings.

  • Members of the consulate are on hand to give information on various topics to those in need.

  • Consultants Alejandra Staubas, D.O. and Catherine Fusco D.O. speak with a couple about the symptoms the man is experiencing are symtoms of a stroke. The man was going to wait until Monday to go to the doctor but knew about the clinic at St Patrick and stop there on Sunday. In the backgroud St Joseph University Biology/Spanish undergrad student Vincent Pepe gives eye exams to those who do not speak english.