High blood pressure is a serious health issue in the United States, affecting one in every three Americans. In the African-American community, the risk is even higher – 42 percent of African-American men have high blood pressure. To help raise awareness and treatment of this life-threatening condition, Regence is sponsoring Free Fades Friday on Nov. 14 as part of its annual Healthy Edge & Free Fades program, and Be Well Washington.
Recognizing the importance of screening and the effectiveness of barber shop-based outreach, Regence launched the Healthy Edge & Free Fades initiative in 2009 in collaboration with Paul Gray’s Barber Lounge and Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization. Since its inception, the program has screened hundreds of people, and expanded to include 4 additional barber shops and volunteers from Seattle Pacific University and other organizations.
During this year’s Free Fades Friday on November 14 people can drop in between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (PT) to have their blood pressure checked and receive a voucher for a free haircut (up to $20 value) at one of the following locations:
Seattle Paul Gray’s Barber Lounge, 1123 34th Ave.
Lakewood SkyLinez Barbershop, 11916 Pacific Hwy., Ste. D
Tukwila Chop it Up Barbershop, 16874 Southcenter Pkwy.
Lynnwood Chop it Up Barbershop, 18910 28th Ave., Ste. 102-A
Woodinville Chop it Up Barbershop, 17409 139th Ave. NE
“Regence is committed to helping improve the health of our communities, as well as addressing health care disparities,” said Eric Pettigrew, director of community and business relations for Regence. “We are grateful for the partnership of these local barber shops and volunteer nurses who share our goal and continue to make this initiative successful.”
Healthy Edge & Free Fades are available to everyone. Haircut vouchers can be redeemed either on site the day of the event, or at a future date through December 14, 2014, depending on the location.
