TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Dozens of families gathered at the Lincoln Neighborhood Service Center for a community health fair hosted by the Bethel AME Church Health Is Life Ministry.<\/p>\n
The event offered free health resources while also celebrating the life and legacy of baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson on his birthday. <\/p>\n
Family physician Linda Walden organized the event. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust like Jackie Robinson broke barriers, we are going to break barriers and improve our health,\u201d Walden said.<\/p>\n
Walden, who is Robinson\u2019s cousin, said the goal of the event was to promote health awareness and disease prevention.<\/p>\n
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\u201cNobody in the United States of America should be without healthcare,\u201d she said. \u201cEven if they can\u2019t afford it, it should still be a way for them to get access to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health care vendors provided free screenings and information on cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, dental care and weight management.<\/p>\n
Walden said many of the services offered addressed the same health challenges Robinson faced later in life.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe died at an early age of 53. He didn\u2019t have to die, but he went through so much stress, and stress kills,\u201d she said. \u201cSome of these diseases are silent killers. If they\u2019re not diagnosed early, many people will die at an early age because they did not get screened.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walden said the event also served as a celebration of the Cairo native and his accomplishments. \u201cGreatness comes from little towns. We all have the opportunity to be just as great as Jackie Robinson.\u201d<\/p>\n
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