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SWMC staffers were afforded a health screening on February 9^th at the Corporation’s office thanks to assistance from medical students from the Windsor University. Planning and Operations Engineer Ghanja O’Flaherty told The SWMC Insider that all staff members; those out in the field and in the office took part in the exercise, including some close family members of the workers. “What I had indicated to staff here, according to what the through traffic looks like, they were welcome to invite immediate family to come through on their lunch hour and Sharon (Drew) had the idea to invite the Brimstone Hill society and Olympic Office (staff) as well and they came over,” O’Flaherty said. 

The checks involved body mass index, blood glucose level tests, blood pressure and other basic checks. O’Flaherty noted that the students had a chance to have a conversation with the workers on matters pertaining to their health. There were about eight student doctors.

For her, the activity served a dual purpose, providing opportunities for staffers to get their health checked while at the same time provide the students with an opportunity to practice their studies. “We could have certainly gone through the ministry of health and use the health centers. It’s something we would like to explore in the future but it was also an opportunity to allow those students to get more practice, much like they do at Valu Mart on a weekend,” she said.

The screening was held at the SWMC’s conference room. Ms. O’Flaherty highlighted the importance of these health screens for staffers at the SWMC. “We have a lot of people on staff that is in a job that’s strenuous and labour intensive. Yes we’ve certainly have office staff but we have a lot of line staff that do a lot of labour intensive work every single day. It was an idea, perhaps we can help get their minds on their own health by providing an opportunity for them to have this health screening,” O’Flaherty said.

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