By: Anastasia Merkulova
University of Maryland students will provide free blood pressure screenings to homeless people around the College Park and Washington, D.C. areas.
The UMD branch of the international organization, Hearts for the Homeless, held its first meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the Reckord Armory. The meeting included an introductory presentation, trivia and blood pressure screening training. A meeting will be held every first Tuesday of the month.
This semester will begin the chapter’s second year fulfilling their mission to provide accessible healthcare for “populations that don’t have access to free healthcare, or healthcare in general,” Milana Klopouh, a junior physiology and neurobiology major and the chapter’s president, said.
“The homeless population is one of the top communities to suffer from cardiovascular disease,” Klopouh said. H4H is able to advise them to get medical help and refer them to free clinics in their area.
The beginning slideshow included introductions of the executive board members and medical information officers, important information to know before joining the chapter and an overview of future community service opportunities.
H4H will volunteer with the Food Recovery Network, a national nonprofit that helps college students fight against food waste and hunger. They will also host restaurant fundraisers, participate in service activities and invite doctors or representatives from test-prep companies to speak at meetings.
Last year, H4H participated in other service activities to aide the homeless population.
“We were able to do clothing drives; donate clothing, bedding, hats, gloves, for churches and the homeless population around the area,” Klopouh said.
Three groups of four students went out to the blood pressure training site at a time set up in the hallway. The rest of the students stayed inside for trivia about H4H.
Isha Ray, a senior public health science major, was one of the medical information officers providing blood pressure screening training. Ray said she finds training students easy because a lot of these students have some type of medical background already.
One student from each group volunteered to get their blood pressure checked, while another did the checking and two others observed. Each student had to take a quiz after to get their certification.
Reanna Talwar, a senior general biology major, was one of the students who got certified. She described the process as cool and quick.
“Giving back to the community, getting to see other walks of life, being able to help someone else” are some of the things Talwar said she hopes to achieve in the following semester.
Both H4H members and community members find happiness through this process.
“One of the guys there that visits the blood pressure screenings that we have, he comes to every single one of ours,” Ray said. “We know how to put a smile on their face through this as well. We derive happiness. They derive happiness. There’s a lot of internal, external benefits.”
Klopouh said there will be a chance for students to get certified during every meeting, and each medical information officer has other times available if a student can’t make the meeting days.
“College is a bubble, and [joining H4H is] a great way to experience communities outside of that bubble,” Klopouh said.
Featured Image: Student at the Hearts for the Homeless Meeting on Tuesday getting a blood pressure screening. Photo by Anastasia Merkulova.