Community invited to celebrate National Rural Health Day at Valley West Hospital in Sandwich

Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital invites the community to a day of wellness in honor of National Rural Health Day from 1 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 16. Health screenings, activities for kids and adults and information booths will be available at the hospital, located at 1302 N. Main St. in Sandwich.

Community wellness activities include flu shots, blood pressure checks, diabetes screening and Narcan distribution. Bike helmets with professional fitting also will be offered. Kids can enjoy fun activities with Sandwich native Dr. Blair Wright, a pediatrician at Northwestern Medicine.

A demonstration of the Remote Nurse Consultation Program will be available in the main lobby. Valley West continues to invest in telemedicine, adding nursing and specialty consults in addition to stroke, cardiology, psychiatry and access to pediatricians from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Visitors can learn more about the Homeward Healing program, which provides local community members the opportunity to receive additional short-term care after an inpatient hospital treatment at any another hospital. To date, Northwestern Medicine has welcomed almost 200 patients to the program.

Information booths will provide details about stroke prevention and care, joint care, heart health and advanced care planning. Visitors can tour an ambulance and the helicopter, play the Operation game and calm their nerves with pet therapy. Representatives from the Leishman Center for Culinary Health will provide healthy recipes.

Since 2011, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health has set aside the third Thursday of November to celebrate the “Power of Rural” on National Rural Health Day. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to bring attention to and honor the efforts of rural health care providers to address the unique health care needs of rural America.

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.