FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5, 2008

Contact:
Elizabeth Blevins, Director, Office of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell:  (740) 464-4854
E-mail: eblevins@shawnee.edu
 

University Estates in Athens donates Mobile Health Care Unit to Shawnee State University

            Dr. Richard T. Conard, the University Estates community in Athens and Steve Farber, CEO of Farber Specialty Vehicles in Columbus, have donated a 39-foot Mobile Health Unit to the Health Sciences Department at Shawnee State University.
            Conard, a retired physician, became involved when he heard about SSU’s Nursing Department outreach program.
“When I met Mattie Burton (chair of Nursing and associate dean of Health Sciences), she shared her vision of the type of outreach program she could do here,” Conard said. “It was at that point I decided to somehow get involved. My vision was to try to help Mattie carry out her vision.”
            The search for a vehicle began and Conard found one at Farber’s.
            “It took us the better part of six months to find a vehicle,” he said. “I really applaud the effort that is going forward here at Shawnee.”
            Nursing students and faculty will be moving the Health Fair into the Mobile Health Unit for health screenings in SSU’s outreach program. Blood sugar and blood pressure testing, flu shots, safety programs for children and other services will be available.
            The Mobile Health Unit was available for a sneak peak on Thursday, Oct. 30 on campus and a grand opening is being planned after the unit is completely outfitted with all the equipment needed to operate the outreach program.


PHOTO (Mobile_Health_Unit1.jpg):

Dr. Richard T. Conard, president of University Estates in Athens, left, and Mattie Burton, chair of Nursing and associate dean of Health Sciences at Shawnee State University, stand beside the new Mobile Health Unit that Conard, University Estates and Steve Farber, of Farber Specialty Vehicles, donated to the Health Sciences outreach program at SSU during a sneak peak on Thursday, Oct. 30. A grand opening is planned when the unit is completely outfitted with all the medical equipment and supplies needed to operate the unit in SSU’s outreach program.