UAMS Health Sponsors Another Successful Health & Wellness Expo
| The 2025 Health & Wellness Expo welcomed more than 350 Arkansans Oct. 4 for free health screenings, panel discussions with physicians from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and other health-related activities.
The free annual public health event, sponsored by UAMS Health and presented by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, moved to a new location — the City Center, off Shackleford Road in west Little Rock.
Students from the College of Pharmacy provided health screenings at the Expo.
UAMS staff and students provided blood pressure and blood glucose screenings for 150 people and vision screenings for 27 individuals. Additionally, the UAMS MammoVan was on hand to provide screening mammograms.
“Community events like the Health & Wellness Expo offer us a wonderful opportunity to educate Arkansans about their health,” said C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., interim chancellor and professor and chair of the UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. “I am grateful for every UAMS employee and student who showed up on a Saturday to offer their expertise to our community.”
Employees from the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute staffed the Mobile Vision Screening van and provided vision screenings for 27 people.
UAMS Health physicians participated in three panel discussions throughout the event. The first — “Heart & Vascular Health as You Age: What You Need to Know” — featured a discussion between Lauren M. Story-Hefta, M.D., a vascular surgeon and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery; Jeanne Y. Wei, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Geriatrics and executive director of the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging; and Srikanth Vallurupalli, M.D., cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine.
Jun Song, M.D., Brian M. Rayburn, P.A., Marcelo P. Bigarella, M.D., and Tim Langford, M.D., all from the Department of Urology, participated in the event.
The second panel discussion, “Understanding Urinary Health: Expert Insights for All,” brought together three providers from the UAMS Department of Urology — Marcelo P. Bigarella, M.D., urologic oncologist and assistant professor in the Department of Urology; Jun Song, M.D., a urogynecologist and assistant professor in the Department of Urology; and Brian M. Rayburn, P.A., men’s health urology physician assistant.
Frits van Rhee, M.D., Ph.D., Lisa Beth Bazzett-Matabele, M.D., and Nicholas D. Tingquist, M.D., participate in a panel discussion about cancer care.
The third and final discussion, “Cancer Conversations: Guidance, Care and Hope,” featured Frits van Rhee, M.D., Ph.D., hematologist/oncologist, professor of medicine and clinical director of the UAMS Myeloma Center; Lisa Beth Bazzett-Matabele, M.D., gynecologist oncologist and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Nicholas D. Tingquist, M.D., thoracic surgeon and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery — Division of Surgical Oncology.
The UAMS Health medical specialties and services represented at the Expo included the Breast Cancer and its MammoVan, Vascular Surgery Clinic, Heart Center, Therapy and Sports Performance, Trauma Prevention Program, Neighborhood Clinics, Centers on Aging, the Institute on Aging and the Institute for Digital Health & Innovation’s Stroke Program and its mini brain.
Attendees also enjoyed Arkansas Travelers bingo, prize drawings and other exhibits.