HEALTH CHECK: Health workers are pictured with Cleve Mayor Roger Nield at the Eyre Peninsula Field Days Pit Stop, from back left is Chelsea Barlow, Roger Nield, Sue Edwards, Tania Mason, Marion Kraehe, and front Leonie Weiss and Trish Santucci.
Pit Stop co-ordinator Leonie Weiss said smoking was now beginning to be seen as a bad habit and everyone needed to get on board.
“This message has to get out to young people as smoking impacts negatively on all the chronic illnesses,” she said.
“The pain of being told you’ve failed a Pit Stop is far less than the pain experienced for you and your family from enduring a long term chronic condition which may have no cure.
“Surely prevention is better than a cure, it is so important to take the time and get an annual check up.”
District Council of Cleve mayor Roger Nield went through the Pit Stop at the EP Field Days on Wednesday and was impressed with the men’s health checks.
Roger received a donated Kidney transplant two years ago and said getting your kidneys checked out is vitally important for all men.
“Make sure you have a Kidney Health Check with your GP once a year,” he said.
“Early detection and health promotion is so important as you can loose 90 percent of your kidney function without knowing.”
Leonie and her Pit Stop team were congratulated by Kidney Health Australia Community Education and Health Promotion manager Jo Fairbairn.
She has also given Country Health SA local health network a big pass for the pit stop program at the Eyre Peninsula Field Days.
“Men have been flocking to the Bank SA marquee to have their Pit Stop health check,” she said.
The work order included Chassis check- waist nutrition and diabetes, Torsion- flexibility, Exhaust-smoking, Fuel additivesalcohol, Oil filter- kidney’s, BMI, blood pressure, Spark plugs-testicles and prostate, Extractorbowel cancer, shock absorbers- Stress test.
More than 43 nurses, allied health workers and community services staff have assisted with the success of the program.
They have travelled from as far as Coober Pedy, Whyalla, Cleve, Cowell and Kimba.
Close to 200 men took part in the Pit stop program.