Parkview Medical Center
has earned the Joint Commission's
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Teddy Bear Clinic promotes children’s health and injury prevention
Free community event adds lead scanning of toys and CPR basics to this year’s clinic
Who: Parkview Medical Center and numerous community partners
What: Hosting 7th Annual “Teddy Bear Clinic”
Where: Pueblo Mall, 3429 Dillon Drive
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, August 2, 2008
PUEBLO, Colo. (July 9, 2008)--- Parkview Medical Center is proud to host the 7th annual Teddy Bear Clinic on Saturday, August 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pueblo Mall. Each year, the focus of the Teddy Bear Clinic has been to create awareness about injury prevention and to help parents improve children’s health and safety. Parkview together with major sponsors: Kiwanis Club of Pueblo; EPYCS Central High School; ENT Credit Union; Vectra Bank; Little Ceasars Pizza; Empirical Environmental, LLC, are proud to present Southern Colorado’s largest free injury prevention and safety fair.
“Pueblo and the surrounding communities have faced far too many preventable tragedies in recent years involving children,” explained Jana Ortiz- Misiaszek, Parkview Health Initiatives Coordinator. “This event was created to fill the health and safety informational needs of our community. The Teddy Bear Clinic will put a special focus this year on CPR basics that can save a life and scanning toys for lead,” Ortiz-Misiaszek continued.
Worldwide, injury is a leading cause of death in children and a major cause of long-term disability. Locally, an increasing number of families have limited, or no access, to regular healthcare. “Parkview wants to help families prevent injuries and illnesses in their daily lives,” said Ortiz- Misiaszek. “They will learn about children’s health and injury-prevention in a fun, yet educational, environment.”
With the massive recalls of Chinese and India-made toys in 2007, Parkview felt it was important to add lead scanning of toys to this year’s Teddy Bear Clinic. Lead is one of the biggest environmental hazards for kids, causing damage to the brain and nervous system; behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity; slowed growth; hearing problems; and headaches. Empirical Environmental, LLC will be at the Teddy Bear Clinic scanning toys for the presence of lead paint. There will be a limit of two toys scanned per child.
Parkview has also partnered with American Medical Response to offer families the opportunity to learn CPR basics that can save a life. CPR classes will be open to the public at 11:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. near Sears. Families will need to register in advance at the Pueblo Mall’s Customer Service Desk or call (719) 584-4760 to reserve a spot in the session.
Children are also asked to bring a teddy bear or other “injured” stuffed animal to the event. Then, the “patient” (stuffed animal) will undergo a triage evaluation by a team of emergency room professionals. Children will learn about the most commonly seen injuries and their treatment.
Following the “discharge” of their animal from the “triage” area, kids will make their way through the Pueblo Mall, visiting the health and safety-related exhibits. Families are also encouraged to head outside to the mall parking lot for the bike rodeo. All children attending the Teddy Bear Clinic will receive a complementary bike helmet provided by funding from Kiwanis of Pueblo and ENT Credit Union. Also located in the mall parking lot, Drive Smart Pueblo will have a drive-up free car seat safety check-point.
“We invite everyone to attend the free, 7th annual Teddy Bear Clinic, and hope families will have a great day while learning to stay safe and healthy!” Ortiz-Misiaszek said.
Parkview Medical Center’s
7th annual Teddy Bear Clinic
Community Partners
- American Medical Response
- Crime Stoppers
- Drive Smart Pueblo
- Empirical Environmental, LLC
- ENT Credit Union
- EPYCS – Central High School
- Kiwanis Club of Pueblo
- Little Caesars Pizza
- National Weather Service
- Pueblo Alliance for Healthy Teens
- Pueblo City-County Health Department
- Pueblo Community Health Center
- Pueblo County Sheriff’s Department
- Pueblo Fire Department
- Pueblo Police Department
- San Isabel Electric Association
- Vectra Bank
- YMCA
For more information about Parkview’s Teddy Bear Clinic, please call Parkview Health Initiatives at (719) 584-4760.# # # |
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