On May 3, 2025, Methodist Hospitals hosted its annual Spring Wellness Fair at Indiana University Northwest (IUN), offering the community a wide range of free health services in partnership with Community HealthNet, Marram Health and IUN. Attendees had access to free blood tests, blood pressure screenings, heart attack and stroke risk assessments, balance assessments, other health screenings and education on topics like cancer prevention, weight loss, and wound care.
Sarah Baran, Director of the Neuroscience Institute at Methodist Hospitals, praised the event as a valuable opportunity to connect with the community and promote preventive health care.
"I'm at the stroke and heart attack risk assessment table," said Baran. Ideally, we're trying to engage with community members by asking simple questions while highlighting that many people have risk factors based solely on their family history. We then gently guide them to recognize their risk factors, encourage small lifestyle changes, such as taking medications as prescribed, and explain why those actions are essential.”
Community HealthNet provided dental screenings and HIV testing. In addition to health screenings, various community partners were present to share information on nutrition, mental health, chronic disease prevention, and other key wellness topics.
Dr. Janet Seabrook was an active presence at the event. She is the CEO of Community HealthNet Health Centers and serves as the City of Gary’s Health Commissioner.
"This partnership with Indiana University Northwest, Methodist Hospitals, and other participants is a wonderful opportunity for citizens to learn about available resources in the community," said Janet. "It’s also a chance to emphasize the importance of taking care of your health, monitoring things like blood pressure and blood sugar to ensure conditions like diabetes and hypertension are under control, or to discover if you have these conditions. We offer free screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and health conditions."
Etha Lazenby is the Community Outreach and Insurance Enrollment Coordinator for Marram Health. She has been involved in this role for several years, helping connect the community with essential resources.
"We participate in this event yearly," said Lazenby. "It's essential for the community to come out and get their screenings so they know their numbers and understand what's going on inside their bodies. Taking care of your health is essential. Many health centers are represented here, so if someone doesn’t have a regular provider, we’re always available to connect them with the right resources."
"If you think something might be wrong, it's best to see a doctor—whether it's at Methodist hospitals, Marram Health Center, Community HealthNet, or any other federally qualified health center, " said Lazenby. “We serve everyone, regardless of ability to pay. We all have insurance navigators on site, so if someone doesn’t have coverage, we can help them sign up. We also offer sliding fee scales. There are many ways to get screenings and the care they need."
The overall feel of the event was positive, with a great turnout and patients leaving with valuable information. Jennifer Hippie, MSW, and Campus Director for the School of Social Work under the College of Health and Human Services, participated for the first time this year.
“This is my first year being involved with the fair, but it's been going on for four years," said Hippie. "It's a way for us to connect not only with community partners like Methodist Hospitals, Community HealthNet and Marram Health, but also with residents—a way to give back. That’s important, especially regarding wellness, because you can never have too much information about taking care of yourself and ensuring you're receiving the best care possible."
Susan Graham, manager, represented the Smart Belly Smoothie Company, which was on site to offer free smoothies to health fair attendees. Smart Belly focuses on reaching out to the community, offering a healthy variety of smoothies and drinks, and letting people know who they are. The representative shared that the company has been teaming up with Methodist Hospitals for four years, providing organic and fresh fruit smoothies at events like this.
"Today, we’re offering strawberry-mango-banana, strawberry-mango, and mango-banana smoothies,” said Susan. “We’re inside the YMCAs in Crown Point and Schererville, where we run our cafés during the Y’s regular hours. We serve everything from smoothies and açaí bowls to sandwiches, refreshers, and coffee. We also operate the concession stand outside the Crown Point pool area—so come check us out!"
For community members, the more they understand and monitor their vital signs, and the more they are aware of available health care options and lifestyle resources, the better. Health fairs like this are invaluable for raising awareness about stroke, particularly given its historical impact on older adults.
"I’d like to thank Methodist Hospitals for helping us make this event possible," said Marram’s Lazenby. “IU Northwest also deserves thanks for donating the facility—they do this for us every year, and they’re wonderful. And of course, thank you to all the other community partners who came out today."
For more information on Methodist Hospitals, click here, for Indiana University Northwest Social Work, click here; for Community HealthNet click here, for Marram Health click here, and for Smart Belly, visit their Facebook page for nutritional facts, menu options, and more.
