How can respiratory therapists make their booth stand out from the crowd at a big health fair? Cute kids advocating for lung health sure can help!
Members of the Kansas Respiratory Care Society (KRCS) found that out when they decided to make their trip to the Kansas State Fairgrounds for an annual health fair in late April a family event.
Dressed in matching t-shirts, hats, and “sandwich boards” promoting lung health, the children mingled with the crowd to recruit attendees to the booth. Back at the booth, they assisted in displaying lungs that compared smokers to nonsmokers and they handed out flyers, lapel pins, and educational items as well.
The children did a great job educating everyone on the dangers of smoking and good lung health, including how to screen for COPD. They walked up to booths and attendees and told them, “just stop by our booth” and “we can screen you for COPD.” They were a big hit with the crowd, drawing old and young alike to the booth for further education.
The children learned a valuable lesson about volunteering as well, and how you are never too young or too old learn about lung health. The crowd loved these “cute and caring” volunteers and the KRCS members were kept busy engaging with the public providing education and screening.
The kids were pretty worn out by the end of the health fair and fell asleep as soon as they were buckled up for the road. By the end of the morning, the KRCS members were not sure who had more fun, the kids or the adults. All in all, a good time was had by all and the KRCS was invited back next year — and told to “be sure to bring the kids!”
Karen Schell is an assistant clinical professor of respiratory care at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, KS.
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