Fieldays Health and Wellbeing Hub welcomed record 33,000 visitors

The Te Manawa Taki community hepatitis C team exhibited at the Fieldays Health and Wellbeing Hub for the first time this year. Photo / Supplied

The Fieldays Health and Wellbeing Hub was a huge success this year with 33,000 visitors coming through to inform themselves and get free health check-ups.

Run in collaboration with Christchurch-based rural health provider, Mobile Health, the Hub previously counted 25,000 people coming through the hub in 2019.

Like the last time, the Fieldays Health and Wellbeing Hub offered a whole lot of free check-ups and tests, including skin cancer spot checks, blood pressure tests, smear tests, hearing checks, hepatitis C tests and confidential mental health support.

Mobile Health CEO Mark Eager said: "People were even waiting in line to get check-ups and tests, which shows that people are becoming more proactive about their health."

The Te Manawa Taki community hepatitis C team, exhibited in the Hub for the first time this year. Hep C is a blood-borne virus that causes inflammation in the liver and can lead to liver cancer if left untreated. One per cent of Kiwis are expected to have hep C, and only half know they've got it.

The Waikato DHB Diabetes clinical team completing more than 1200 tests during Fieldays 2021. Photo / Supplied

The team completed 364 tests and 617 mini-education sessions between June 16 and 18. Hepatitis C project manager at HealthShare Limited, Jo de Lisle said: "One incredible moment was when a young woman approached us saying she had hep C, and we were able to support her straight away to receive treatment to be cured in under nine weeks. She was absolutely stoked."

Melanoma New Zealand also provided free skin cancer spot checks at the hub, and chief executive Andrea Newland says large crowds of people were wanting to chat about melanoma and get checked.

"With multiple nurses working both on and off our spot check van to meet demand at Fieldays, we were able to do 673 spot checks and found 54 suspicious lesions, including melanomas, which have been referred for further evaluation."

Trevelyan's Pack and Cool Limited won the Commitment to Sustainability Award, also convincing the judges with the avocado trees on sale. Photo / Supplied

The Waikato DHB Diabetes clinical team completed more than 1200 tests during the event. Normal blood glucose levels range between 4 – 7 millimoles per litre (mmol/l). The highest blood glucose level recorded at Fieldays was 23 mmol/l, a level that could lead to hyperglycaemia in diabetics, which can cause life-threatening health complications.

Meanwhile, Tamahere business Flexi Tanks NZ won the Fieldays 2021 Site Award for the Best Outdoor Site less than 200sq m.

Kiwifruit and Avocado packhouse Trevelyan's Pack and Cool Limited from Te Puke was presented with the Commitment to Sustainability Award for their strong sustainability focus and messaging, the minimal product waste at their site, their interactive features and their take-home waste policy.

Safari Tents NZ Limited from Hawke's Bay took home Best Outdoor Site between 200sq m and 400sq m and the Best Indoor Site went to the Ministry for Primary Industries, Manatu Ahu Matua.

Oamaru-based Te Pari, renowned for their livestock handling solutions, took home two awards: the Fieldays Supreme Site Award and Best Outdoor Site over 400sq m.