Lions HealthFirst Foundation helps screen for problems

James Bartel had a personal reason for launching the Lions HealthFirst Foundation, a project of the Las Vegas International Lions Club.

"My enthusiasm for this was generated based upon my family history," Bartel said. His father died at 59 from liver cancer, his mother at 63 from a stroke.

"I'm talking about 30, 40 years ago," Bartel said. "The technology didn't exist then for people to walk in off the street and get screened. I suspect that either my mother or father could have been saved a lot of pain and suffering had they had the ability to have this kind of screening done."

That would be ultrasound screening, which is the foundation's reason for being.

"I personally became very enthused" upon realizing the potential for a club project, Bartel said. "I decided to become one of the co-founders, put my own money into it and helped to get it going, and I'm serving as the president." The other co-founders -- all of whom are Lions members, and who comprise the foundation's board of trustees -- are Soledad Lee, Mitchell Milgaten, Noni Rybka and Violeta Horn.

The program offers free or reduced-cost screenings of the circulatory system, including the carotid arteries and aorta, looking for problems such as blockages and weaknesses -- if necessary, an echocardiogram will be performed as well -- plus the gastrointestinal system, including liver, kidneys, gall bladder and spleen, and the thyroid gland.

Additionally, the foundation has done some pelvic ultrasounds for women, and two brain scans for people who were complaining of chronic headaches.

Bartel noted that in many cases, such diagnostic screenings are not covered by health insurance, unless ordered by a physician because of specific symptoms.

The screenings are performed by medical personnel at the foundation's office at 5040 Edna Ave. Results are read by a radiologist or, in the case of an echocardiogram, by a cardiologist.

But it's not that the Lions have abandoned their long-time vision project. Bartel said the Lions SightFirst Foundation provides free vision exams for needy people and children, and free eyeglasses through a program with LensCrafters and local physicians. Bartel said the foundation even has provided free eye surgery.

"If we cannot do it locally, Lions International has a big facility in San Francisco," he said. "We frequently send people to San Francisco for eye surgery, all of which is free."

The projects are supported by fundraisers such as a recent dinner at the Las Vegas Hilton where physicians were recognized for their contributions to the community. Other sources of revenue include grants and donations.

"Aside from that, Lions Clubs typically come out to support Lions projects," he said, estimating that there are 35 to 40 Lions Clubs in Clark County.

And, Bartel said, board members hope that the fees from the low-cost screenings will eventually support the project.

"We would love to see it self-funding," he said.

Bartel said the Las Vegas International Lions Club has 78 members and meets monthly at the HealthFirst Foundation office. New members, he said, are always welcome; information is available by calling 739-6393.

Those interested in scheduling a screening also are asked to call 739-6393 to set up an appointment.

"Our goal," Bartel said, "is to keep the cost as low as possible so literally anybody who wants this can afford it -- and if they can't afford it, they will get it for free."