When People Have the Means to Access Healthcare, They Will

What impressed Ryan Rilinger (’27) the most during his volunteer stint at the recent Men’s Health Challenge was the enthusiasm on the part of the men who showed up.

More than 100 attendees gathered at Langston Hughes Community Health & Education Center on June 1. The free event focused on the unique health needs of African American men, who have a high risk of asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and stroke.

“We talk a lot about how to reach underserved populations. The popularity of this event demonstrated that people do want to take care of their health, but there are things stopping them,” says Ryan.

During the Men’s Health Challenge, Ryan conducted blood pressure readings. If there was a concern about a result, he would connect the attendee with a physician to discuss a plan of care. Several of this classmates, also fourth-year students, volunteered at the event. Alison Heilbronner, Gregory Owendoff, Briana Rutland and Eduardo Williams-Medina checked attendees’ height and weight, and served as guides.

Empowering men to take charge of their health is a powerful step toward reducing healthcare disparities. The Men’s Health Challenge featured not only health screenings, but also a cooking demonstration, haircuts, educational sessions on entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and a chance to speak with recruiters to learn about employment opportunities at Cleveland Clinic.

“During the speaker sessions, every chair was filled. It was so uplifting for me to see,” says Ryan, who describes his experience volunteering at the Men’s Health Challenge as eye-opening. “They have the initiative and motivation. Just give people the tools and means to access healthcare, and they will.”

The event was hosted by Cleveland Clinic and a number of community partners.

Photo credit: Shawn Green