BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Language can be a barrier to healthcare for Sikh residents in Bakersfield. That's why the Sikh Women's Association is bringing both services and information directly to that community.
“Today we're holding a health screening. Also, we're educating the community on cancer care for men and women,” Raji Brar, co-founder of the Sikh Women's Association said.
On Sunday, a community health fair was held at Gurdwara Guru Dashmesh Darbar in Southwest Bakersfield in a partnership with Adventist Health.
Brar said the Bakersfield Sikh Women’s Association started holding these fairs every few months after they were brought to the attention of a community member who was dealing with cervical cancer, a form of cancer that is very preventable.
“We asked more questions and realized that a lot of women in our community weren't going in for certain cancer care. And a lot of that was due to cultural barriers, language barriers. When you have somebody who understands your language, it just puts you at ease and you're able to communicate with them more freely,” Brar said.
The fair provided free blood pressure tests and distributed information about cancer screenings and prevention with pamphlets written in Punjabi.
“We just started Kern county's first lung nodule and lung screening program where our goal is to catch lung cancer early,” said Raymond Andreas, Nurse Navigator for Lung Oncology at the AIS Cancer Center. Andreas was at the fair, distributing information and encouraging people to take preventative measures.
“If you catch lung cancer between stages one and two, it's curable, you can beat it.”
Bakersfield residents who qualify for a non-invasive lung screening are those 50 to 80 years old, those who currently smoke or have quit smoking the past 15 years, and those who have a 20 pack-year smoking history.
“Now it's qualified and covered under insurance, just like it would be a mammogram. It's a preventative now and that's what we wanted,” Andreas said.
The fair provided information about cervical breast and prostate cancer as well.
With hundreds of residents worshiping at the temple on Sundays, the reach was wide.
“We like to be able to go into where the community is. A trusted face, a trusted source. It’s more comfortable when it's at your own place of worship at times,” Brar said.
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