UF mobile clinic offers checkups for about 25 people

Ten-year-old José carefully poured cups of flour and rice through a funnel attached to a balloon to create his very own stress ball.

“His name is Timmy,” he said, after drawing a green smiley face on his new handcrafted creation.

José was one of the 25 people who went to the free community health fair Saturday afternoon at Iglesia Hispana de Alachua, located at 13719 NW 146th Ave. José’s mother declined to give his last name, citing privacy concerns. The event was held by Children Beyond Our Borders, a Florida nonprofit organization focused toward ensuring the social well-being of immigrant children, their families and additional under-represented groups.

This was the fourth time the event has been held, but the first with dental volunteers from UF Dentistry, said Juan Leon, a volunteer director for the nonprofit.

The 20-year-old UF biomedical engineering sophomore said he helped organize the event to provide free health care to anyone in the community who might need it.

“Health care should be a human right given to all,” he said.

The UF Mobile Outreach Clinic provided checkups and assessments, said Dr. Diana Montoya-Williams, a UF Health pediatrician and board member of Children Beyond Our Borders.

Mariana Piedrahita, a 21-year-old UF international studies senior and Child Beyond Our Borders intern, leads children activities.

“The overall importance is reaching out to the community and educating them about their health resources,” Piedrahita said.

Nurses get ready to start seeing the list of patients who signed up for free clinic services on board of the UF Mobile Outreach Clinic. It was parked in front of Iglesia Hispana de Alachua, located at 13719 NW 146th Ave., in Alachua.