Your Health Should Be Convenient
At St. Thomas, the quality healthcare you and your family deserve is easily accessible. That’s why same day and next day appointments are our specialty. Whether your child is sick and needs to see a pediatrician, you need a last minute physical, or an unplanned injury happens, our dedicated team is here to provide comprehensive care for all ages the same or next day.
Don’t stress about getting here. Our six locations across the city are all convenient to bus lines. Plus, we want to keep your family healthy regardless of your insurance status or ability to pay so you won’t have to worry about a bill you can’t afford.
Men’s Health Month is celebrated each June to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Our team of dedicated male health providers at St. Thomas is sharing their health advice for men and boys every week this month. Dr. Donald Costello, optometrist at St. Thomas, shared a tip for keeping your eyes healthy this week. Check out the advice our other providers will be sharing each week in June on our Facebook page!
A Number You Should Know
Do You Know Your Status?
June 27th is National HIV Testing Day. Around 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and one in eight people are unaware they are infected with it. In Louisiana, that’s 1 in 5. The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV. A general rule for those with risk factors is to get tested annually. Additionally, sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from getting an HIV test more often, perhaps every 3 to 6 months.
St. Thomas Community Health Center has a dedicated team of specialists who work with our community to care for those who have the virus, and assist in preventing the spread of HIV. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, we provide premium services related to preventing and managing HIV at prices affordable to all, regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay.
If you haven’t been tested for HIV, make an appointment with your St. Thomas provider to be tested. If you have tested positive, getting into care as soon as possible improves health and reduces the risk of transmission of the virus. St. Thomas can link people to care at the time of diagnosis. If you are HIV negative, and want to keep it that way, learn more about our We PrEP Together initiative, a comprehensive prevention program which includes taking a pill once a day.
The Latest: In the News & Around the Community
The Sista Strut 3K Walk New Orleans was a Success
Last month, we proudly supported the Sista Strut 3k Walk New Orleans. It was a beautiful day at Woldenburg Park recognizing the strength of breast cancer survivors, their family and friends. The goal of Sista Strut walks is to raise money and heighten awareness for breast cancer and specifically how it affects the African American Community. African American women are more likely to get breast cancer at a younger age and have a death rate from breast cancer twice that of Caucasian women of the same age.
St. Thomas’s We PrEP Together will be at New Orleans Pride
The New Orleans Pride Parade is on June 10th, and our We PrEP Together initiative is a proud sponsor of this year’s event. Our friends from Youth Run NOLA will be there giving out goodies for parade goers on our behalf including temporary tattoos, and condoms and information on how to stay HIV free in New Orleans.
New Orleans Pride Festival celebrations will take place all weekend, centered around the LGBT community of New Orleans and its allies. Learn more about the weekend of events here.
