500 Children Given Shot at Good Health

Along with monsters under the bed, hypodermic needles are at the top of any list of childhood fears.

But for Sylmar resident Vicky Samano, whose family insurance plan doesn’t cover vaccinations, the greater fear was that her children might fall victim to disease.

So she brought her 9-year-old daughter, Jeanette, and the girl’s older siblings, Marina, 16, and Phillip, 15, to the San Fernando YWCA on Sunday to stand in line with 500 other children and receive shots for hepatitis, tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella.

It was all part of the ninth annual Kids Care Fair, and when it was over mother and children were all smiling.

“It kind of hurt, but not that much,” Jeanette said.

The three-day event, which ended Sunday, took place at 33 sites in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

Sponsors included the Red Cross, Channel 7 and the Tarzana-based Flagg Foundation, which sponsors the Parenting Education Leadership Development Program at the YWCA.

In addition to immunizations for children, the event offered screenings for vision and hearing impairments, back ailments, high blood pressure and dental problems for both children and adults.

Nurses and laboratory technicians from the Iris Cantor Center for Breast Imaging of the UCLA Medical Center offered free on-site mammograms for women 40 years and older.

“Even though it’s advertised as an event for children, it’s also for adults,” said Laverne Minor, manager of the YWCA.

“It’s a very worthwhile venture, especially for families without insurance or those who simply cannot afford vaccination shots for their children.”

The Samanos fell into the latter category, and for them the health fair was a blessing, even if it meant going through a bit of pain.

Vicky Samano saw an announcement advertising the fair on her church bulletin board.

“Our family insurance doesn’t cover vaccinations and they are very expensive,” she said.

“I feel much better now that my children received the shots.”