Newswise — NEW ORLEANS, La. – To foster and promote community health and wellness through a lens of health equity, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club will host a comprehensive Men’s Health Fair for the social club membership on Saturday, May 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Zulu headquarters on Broad Street.
The event, held in partnership with Ochsner Health and the Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research, advances a core mission to improve healthcare access, health equity and health outcomes. The Men’s Health Fair will offer free healthcare services, medical screenings, and healthcare best practices as well as 30-minute healthcare education sessions about colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and peripheral artery disease – all healthcare issues common to men. The sessions will be led by Ochsner physicians and Janssen pharmacists.
"Zulu is excited to again partner with Ochsner Hospital to focus on men's health. The benefits of this health fair are not forgotten on our organization,” said Elroy A. James, President of Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. “We hope men in the community take advantage of this partnership and the many health screenings that will be provided."
The event supports Healthy State by 2030, an expansive plan to lift Louisiana off the bottom of national health rankings by encouraging smoking and tobacco cessation, decreasing cancer deaths, and addressing chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and COPD, among other initiatives.
“Healthcare equity, which includes access to preventative care, is a critically important issue that cannot be achieved overnight, or by working alone,” said Eboni Price-Haywood, MD, MPH, FACP, Medical Director at the Ochsner Xavier Institute for Health Equity and Research. “We value relationships with trusted partners, including Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, to truly make a difference in the communities we serve by partnering on these vital healthcare events.”
“The value the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club community brings to our city is immeasurable, and we appreciate the opportunity to partner with our local culture bearers to promote better health for all,” said Kevin C. Green Jr., Vice President for Community Health Centers at Ochsner Health. “We know that becoming a healthier state means embracing collaboration with our community partners, and partnership with Zulu’s membership is key to advancing our mission to build a healthier region and a better Louisiana.”
The free programs and services to be offered include:
- Cancer Screenings and education
- Health and wellness screenings
- Nutrition education
- Tobacco cessation
- HIV/STI screenings
- COVID-19 testing, vaccination and boosters
Additionally, the event will offer the following 30-minute health education sessions:
- Prostate cancer – Dr. Tonye Jones, Urologist, Ochsner Health
- Colorectal cancer – Dr. Jonathan Mizrahi, Ochsner GI Oncologist
- Peripheral Artery Disease – Dr. Veita J. Bland, Family Medicine & Certified Hypertension Specialist, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
These health education sessions were chosen for the men’s health fair benefitting Zulu, to encompass an array of public health issues that will benefit men from all walks of life. Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, with statistics showing that the disease is more likely to develop in older and non-Hispanic Black men. The ACS estimates colorectal cancer to be the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States, with the lifetime risk of developing it higher for men. Peripheral artery disease, or the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the legs, disproportionately affects those who are African-American, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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About Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club
The Zulu organization is proud of its standing in the local community, but also takes pride in its national and international standing. The Zulu organization has been the subject of numerous television documentaries and newsprint and magazine articles. King Zulu 1949, Louis Armstrong, graced the pages of Time Magazine that year. Essence devoted a full half-hour segment of their weekly television series to Zulu’s impact on Carnival. Hordes of feature stories and photo essays have been done by international publications.
The Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club Inc., is the everyman club. The membership is composed of men from all walks of life–from laborers, City Mayor, City Councilmen, and State Legislators, to United States Congressman, educators, and men of other professions.
Zulu’s history is illustrious and at times colorful, and could fill volumes. It is also continual, with chapters being written constantly. This is an attempt to afford the reader insight on who and what we are.
About Ochsner Health
Ochsner Health is an integrated healthcare system with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Celebrating 80 years in 2022, it leads nationally in cancer care, cardiology, neurosciences, liver and heart transplants and pediatrics, among other areas. Ochsner is consistently named both the top hospital and top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The not-for-profit organization is inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities. Its focus is on preventing diseases and providing patient-centered care that is accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner Health pioneers new treatments, deploys emerging technologies and performs groundbreaking research, including over 700 clinical studies. It has more than 34,000 employees and over 4,500 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. It operates 40 hospitals and more than 300 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South; and its cutting-edge Connected Health digital medicine program is caring for patients beyond its walls. In 2021, Ochsner Health treated more than 1 million people from every state and 75 countries. As Louisiana’s top healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. To learn more, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.