More than 300 El Paso children and their families got some help preparing for the new school year this summer — from pediatricians, community organizations and a few superheroes.
The Superheroes Health Fair at Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso at Alberta brought families together for a Saturday of health screenings, sports physicals, backpacks and other resources, while costumed superheroes, music, face painting and activities helped turn a trip to the doctor into a community celebration.
Hosted by the General Pediatrics Outpatient Division in partnership with El Paso Health, the July 11 event brought together 25 community partners to connect families with services ranging from dental screenings to mental health resources.
For Dr. Maria Theresa Villanos, division chief of ambulatory pediatrics and medical director of the pediatric clinic, the turnout showed the need for accessible healthcare combined with an atmosphere children and their families could enjoy.
“It was packed,” Villanos said. “The families enjoyed popcorn, music, face painting, photos at the photo booth and the appearance of the superheroes, plus raffle prizes and healthy lifestyle counseling.”
Getting El Paso children ready for school
For families, the health fair offered an opportunity to take care of some important back-to-school needs in one place.
Pediatricians and clinic staff performed more than 30 physicals and conducted Texas Health Steps checkups, well-child visits and sports physicals. Children had their height, weight and body mass index measured, while families received personalized counseling about healthy lifestyles.
Most checkups were covered by Medicaid or private insurance. Uninsured children, including those who were not already Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso patients, could receive sports physicals for $25.
El Paso Health also sponsored 300 backpacks for children attending the event, adding another back-to-school resource for local families.
The combination of medical care and family activities was intentional. While parents connected with health professionals and community organizations, children could meet costumed superheroes, have their faces painted, take photos and enjoy music and popcorn.
The result was part health fair and part neighborhood gathering — and an opportunity to make preventive care more approachable for children.
El Paso organizations come together
The health fair also showed what can happen when healthcare providers and community organizations work together to meet families where they are.
Twenty-five community partners participated, transforming the Alberta clinic into a one-stop wellness hub. Participants included the Foster School of Medicine departments of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology, the Hunt School of Dental Medicine and the Child Psychiatry Access Network.
Dr. Julianna M. Khoury-Martin, assistant professor and chair of community outreach for the Pediatrics Ambulatory Division, said bringing those resources together was central to the event.
“We were very excited to see the community come together for children’s health in preparation for this school year,” Khoury-Martin said. “The capacity attendance speaks volumes, especially after the event’s hiatus following COVID.”
For Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso, events such as the Superheroes Health Fair extend the work its pediatricians do every day into the community they serve.
The Alberta pediatric clinic is staffed by board-certified pediatricians and offers same-day appointments and a 24-hour parent hotline, providing El Paso families with access to care beyond special community events.
The fair also strengthened the connection between Texas Tech Health El Paso and the community where its students and resident physicians train. As the region’s only independent academic health sciences center, the university gives future healthcare professionals opportunities to learn firsthand about the needs of El Paso and Borderplex families while helping expand access to care and health resources.
Organizing an event for hundreds of children required its own team behind the scenes. Interim Department of Pediatrics Chair Dr. Manuel de la Rosa and administrator Lori Ruthledge provided support for the event, while clinic manager Alex Lopez and head nurse Cecilia Lindsey helped coordinate the effort alongside volunteers, vendors and community partners.
But for the families who walked through the clinic doors that Saturday, the result was much simpler: an opportunity to get children ready for school, connect with local health resources and make a visit to the doctor a little more fun.
More than 30 physicals were completed, 300 backpacks found their way into children’s hands and hundreds of El Paso families left with information and resources to help them begin the school year healthier.
And for at least one Saturday in El Paso, healthcare really did come with a cape.
The post Superheroes Health Fair helps El Paso families start the school year healthy appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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