It only takes a few minutes, but a simple blood screening could save your life. Research shows that annual blood screenings are the most important tool available to prevent degenerative disease through early intervention.

Wendy Piascik is a registered nurse with Lee Memorial Health System. She says, “The blood screenings are a series of profiles, chemistry profile a liver function profile, hematology profile it covers the most general tests that are required for you to have a conversation with your physician about your general health.”

This month the Rotary Club of the Goldcoast is sponsoring a community blood screening. It will offer the important service to the community at a low cost. “Even for people with insurance for them to get a physicians appointment and to get a prescription to get this done, this is a very cost effective way to get that baseline information and to know where you stand and what changes you need to make in your life,” says Wendy.

The Rotary has pledged to raise $100,000 to support the building of a pediatric emergency room at Cape Coral Hospital. Proceeds from the blood screening will go towards this cause. “The link that the hospital is offering with the blood screening is an invaluable partnership. It’s a great way to service both the community and to help everyone recognize their own health status and communicate with their physicians.”

The blood screening will be held on January 31, 2009. For more information you can log onto www.goldcoastrotary/bloodscreening. The screening will also offer an inexpensive PSA test for men. PSA screening has been successful in detecting prostate cancer.