- Free, comprehensive health services — The fair offers a wide range of medical services including HIV/STD testing, lipid panel testing, on-site doctors, and access to community organizations, all at no cost to attendees.
- Holistic community support — Beyond medical care, the event provides free clothing, food, addiction support, women's health services, and assistance for undocumented people, reflecting a whole-person approach to community wellness.
- Health care as a human right — The fair is driven by a core belief, voiced by Creighton medical student Jocelyn Tran, that health care should not be gatekept by finances — a value that motivates student volunteers and center staff alike.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
NORTH DOWNTOWN OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The fourth annual Magis Health Fair returns this weekend to provide free and accessible health care and resources to the Omaha community.
The event will be held Saturday, Aug. 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Siena Francis House Services Center off 17th Street.
Jocelyn Tran, a second-year Creighton University medical student, is one of many students partnering with the center to provide health care services to attendees.
"They'll have stations ranging from HIV to STD testing, lipid panel testing so all the medical tests that we can quickly run at a clinic, we'll also have our clinics running too so we'll have doctors on staff if people have any acute problems alongside that we have a lot of Omaha community organizations," Tran said.
Beyond medical services, the fair also offers free clothing, food, and access to addiction support, women's health services, and assistance for undocumented people.
Tran said the fair reflects a broader belief about access to care.
"I think healthcare should be a right not a privilege. It is a human necessity and shouldn't be behind the barrier of finances so hopefully by doing a free health fair we're advocating for the fact that health care shouldn't be an exorbitant amount of money," Tran said.
"And recognizing that we are not only doctors for people but also doctors for all aspects of their health is really important," Tran said.
Volunteers with the center say they help more than 3,000 people a year, with last year's fair drawing more than 500 attendees alone.
Lily Black, a volunteer with the center, said addressing health needs is a critical step toward stability for many of their clients.
"A lot of our clients don't have the resources to receive the right amount of care and sometimes you need to adjust healthcare concerns before you move on to safe and stable housing and that's really our goal to get people on our campus or in our programs into a safe and stable place to live," Black said.
The Magis Health Fair takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Siena Francis House Services Center's parking lot off 17th Street.
