Fathers were encouraged to embrace self-care and tend to their health at the Healthy Dads Day Out event on June 30 at the Anthony Water & Sanitation District, in Anthony, New Mexico. Twenty community partners hosted a half-day full of games, prizes, and vital health information for dads and father figures.
United Healthcare provided fathers and their children with health services, including free blood pressure checks, weight and measurement checks, diabetes assessments, and hearing and vision screenings. Parents were given individualized health information based on each screening for a better understanding of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Children were provided with developmental screenings in addition to the health screenings.
David Doan, the Health Disabilities Coordinator at Early Head Start, assisted in overall event coordination timelines, obtaining donations, and corresponding with vendors. “We celebrated the male and father engagement and relationships that men are building with their own families.” Fathers and their children were provided with opportunities to openly discuss vital health questions while engaging with their children.
“Providers were able to give out information on fatherhood classes, overall childhood development screenings, medical referrals, mental health information, recipe ideas and healthy food examples,” Doan said.
There were 63 participants at the event and 15 fathers from the surrounding Anthony area.