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Julie Groh, right, Penn State Health community health nurse, checks Courtney Barclay\u2019s blood pressure at Project SHARE in Carlisle.<\/p>\n
\tPenn State Health brings free cardiovascular checks directly to people who need it the most<\/p>\n
Two weeks after her father suffered a stroke, Courtney Barclay, 46, jumped at the chance to get a free blood pressure check while grocery shopping in Carlisle.<\/p>\n
May 18, 2026Penn State Health News\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cWith everything going on with my dad, I just want to make sure I don\u2019t have high blood pressure,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Barclay sat down for a screening with Julie Groh, a community health nurse with Penn State Health, at Project SHARE, a local nonprofit that helps people facing food insecurity.<\/p>\n
Penn State Health offers free cardiovascular screenings at community organizations and events across central Pennsylvania. The goal: bring heart health care to people who might not otherwise have access. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Pennsylvania and nationwide. But early detection of risk factors like high blood pressure can help people live longer, healthier lives.<\/p>\n
Barclay\u2019s first reading showed she had high blood pressure. A second check two minutes later was lower but still elevated.<\/p>\n
High blood pressure is a risk factor for strokes, and Barclay understands how devastating a stroke can be. She was the one who called 911 when her dad showed signs of a stroke. Now, he\u2019s home from the hospital but unable to walk. Barclay has been helping her mother and sister care for him around the clock.<\/p>\n
Groh gave Barclay a home blood pressure monitor to track her numbers and wrote down Barclay\u2019s phone number to connect her with a free primary care provider. The Carlisle woman doesn\u2019t have health insurance due to a paperwork issue and plans to reapply.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would recommend this screening to anyone,\u201d Barclay said. \u201cIt\u2019s the easiest process ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Penn State Health community health nurses screen about 1,800 people each year for high blood pressure, or hypertension.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s amazing how many people are walking around with high blood pressure,\u201d Groh said.<\/p>\n High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so many people don\u2019t know they have it. Only about a quarter of Americans with hypertension have it under control, the American Heart Association says. The good news: it can often be managed with medications, quitting smoking and lifestyle changes like a healthy diet and exercise.<\/p>\n Visitors stop by Groh\u2019s table for samples of heart-healthy food like freeze-dried fruit and low-sodium seasoning, then pick up educational materials to help improve their heart health.<\/p>\n Within minutes, Groh can also check their cholesterol and hemoglobin A1C \u2013 a measure of blood sugar \u2013 with a quick finger prick. She then walks participants through a cardiovascular risk calculator to estimate their chance of developing heart disease. If they need follow-up care, she connects them with free or low-cost providers.<\/p>\n \u201cCardiovascular disease can be complex, and very few patients have only one risk factor,\u201d said Holly Roush, vice president of Penn State Health Heart and Vascular Services. \u201cWe offer the tools people need to understand their cardiovascular health and manage it.\u201d<\/p>\n The screenings are supported by the health system\u2019s Give from the Heart campaign<\/a>, held each February during American Heart Month.<\/p>\n Turning numbers into understanding <\/p>\n Groh doesn\u2019t simply tell people their results \u2013 she teaches them why the numbers matter.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople often tell me that a doctor has never explained their blood pressure to them,\u201d Groh said. \u201cThey thank me for taking time to help them understand it.\u201d<\/p>\n Even for people who have health care access, these screenings can help them stay on track.<\/p>\n James Lippart Jr., 52, of Carlisle, sees a doctor for his high cholesterol and is working to improve his heart health. \u201cI\u2019m trying to be healthy and lose weight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Lippart checked his risk factors with Groh at Project SHARE so he could show his doctor the numbers at his next appointment. Groh\u2019s homework for Lippart: Keep taking your medication.<\/p>\n \u201cThis program is about sharing knowledge and enabling people to understand their disease processes and then change their health outcomes,\u201d Roush said. \u201cThis is more than health care \u2013 it\u2019s caring for people\u2019s health.\u201d<\/p>\n A consistent community presence<\/p>\n When people see Penn State Health at community events and organizations, some just browse the information table. Others go straight for screening. Over time, some return and even befriend nurses like Groh, who are part of the communities they serve. Community health nurses build trust and help people monitor and improve their health over time.<\/p>\n \u201cThese aren\u2019t one-time screening events,\u201d Roush said. \u201cWe have a consistent presence in the locations where we provide these services so we can continue to meet people where they are and give them resources to address their risk factors.\u201d<\/p>\n Groh often sees entire families benefit from her services \u2013 whether they visit her table or hear about it from someone who did.<\/p>\n Before leaving with her new blood pressure monitor, Barclay turned to her sister.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe we should check Mom\u2019s blood pressure when we get home,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Improving physical well-being is a key part of Penn State Health\u2019s commitment to advancing health equity. Learn more<\/a> in the Penn State Health Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy.<\/p>\n![\"Heart](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/55248427020_99fcedb4f3_h.jpg\")
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\nMeeting people where they are<\/p>\n