Preston Health Mela marks 20 years as thousands attend at city’s university

Outside the health mela event Pic: Blog Preston

The 20th annual Health Mela in the city welcomed more than 1,000 visitors during Saturday (12 April).

Organised by the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing and the University’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, it was held at the Foster Building at the University of Central Lancashire.

Free MOT health checks, including diabetes screening, blood pressure checks, and cholesterol level tests, as well as Reiki and Bollywood dancing, were a few of the many events held.

Volunteers and workers from organisations such as the Stroke Association, MS Society, Better Health Centre and Macmillan Cancer Support were some of the many health organisations in attendance.

Organ donation ambassador, Emma Johnson, shared her compelling story to Blog Preston about the significance of this event and campaigning to her.

Motivating her to become an ambassador for NHS Organ Donation, Emma’s son underwent a life-changing heart transplant in 2017.

The heart was given by the family of a nine-year-old Keira who consented for her organs to be donated shortly after she passed away.

Emma said: “We are trying to encourage people to decide to donate, record their decision and share their wishes of donation with their family.”

“This is so other people like Max can be saved.”

The event, held from 11am to 3pm, offered free posture checks, eye health clinics and carbon monoxide testing with an aim to help people understand the significance of good health.

The Mayor of Preston councillor Phil Crowe who was in attendance, said: “It is my honour and privilege to be at the Health Mela, held at UCLan, with all the trustees and doctors and professors and members of the public.

“There are all sorts of information available with a full body MRI, so it is important to come on down.”

The event, as well as adults and older adults, invited children to participate in the popular teddy bear clinic.

This allowed them to bring their favourite teddy along to the event too.

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