Thousands enjoy gorgeous morning for AAMWA Black Men's Wellness Day
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- For more than 20 years, the African American Male Wellness Agency has been on a mission to improve health outcomes for men. That mission continued on Saturday morning for the annual Black Men’s Wellness Day, of which NBC4 is a proud sponsor.
“It’s the most fun you’ll ever have at a doctor’s appointment,” said Kenny R. Hampton, President of the African American Male Wellness Agency.
The agency advocated to increase healthcare accessibility and encourage more men to prioritize their health. “As I started getting older I realized the importance of it. A lot of things that you want to stay on top of and catch before it gets worse than it could be,” said James Harris, Volunteer at Black Men’s Wellness Day.
Thousands of men sat down for free health screenings ranging from blood pressure to more comprehensive tests. "Everybody needs to take care of their health because it’s better to know that you’re unhealthy than to not wake up,” said Ron Grinston, Columbus resident that received a health screening.
The urgency behind Black Men’s Wellness Day is rooted in their data. Black men are 70% more likely to die from preventable diseases than white men. “We know that giving access to these free health screenings is going to help our men ultimately live longer,” Hampton said.
85% of those screened by the agency had high blood pressure and more than half of them didn’t know. Hampton said those numbers have become personal after he got screened three years ago and faced health battles of his own.
“I didn’t want to receive that information but I’m thankful now that I’ve matured in this space and I’m sharing my story with more men to help them understand,” he said.
Black Men’s Wellness Day began in Columbus in 2004 with around 700 people. Since then, it has expanded to more than 20 cities and seen thousands participate over the years.