A costumed “germ” wanders around the information booths during a past Family Health & Fitness Day in Hermiston. The free event features medical screenings, health-related activities and demonstrations on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, at Hermiston High School.

HERMISTON — Adults can relive their childhood days of playing Hasbro’s “Operation” during a hands-on exercise with Good Shepherd Health Care System’s da Vinci Surgical System during Family Health & Fitness Day.

Dr. Ann Rust, a board certified general surgeon, will guide people through demonstrations using the minimally invasive system. Participants can “try their hand at a surgical procedure” while being assessed for accuracy.

Good Shepherd’s Aime Chavez, a certified surgical technologist/robotics coordinator, said the hospital upgraded to the da Vinci Xi in May 2022 after utilizing the SI model for many years. It’s primarily used for general surgery, women’s health and urology.

A leaderboard will show participant scores. And one lucky competitor can add a name for consideration for Good Shepherd’s da Vinci robot. The surgical services team will vote on the finalists this fall.

“The act of naming the robot is, in a sense, a fun ‘welcoming’ for this new ‘team member,’” Chavez said.

Community members of all ages can participate in a variety of family-friendly activities during the free health fair Saturday, Sept. 23, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hermiston High School, 600 S. First St. A pre-event fun run kicks off at 8 a.m. In addition, several food trucks will be onsite.

Jessica Reker, community health and outreach director, said Good Shepherd has held the health fair for more than 20 years.

“We are excited to bring this event to the community year after year,” she said. “We have around 50 vendors confirmed at this time, and are still accepting vendor applications for a couple more weeks.”

Reker described the fair as a “one-stop shop” for community resources, education, free health screenings, prizes and giveaways. It features everything from fitness demonstrations, dental/vision screenings and flu shots to dance performances, balloon animals and an interactive arcade arena.

The popular Teddy Bear Clinic returns, providing an educational opportunity for children. The interactive experience simulates an emergency room visit without the fear or pain usually associated with going to the hospital.

Participants will receive Teddy bears to take through the process, which includes triage, medical tests, diagnosis and discharge instructions. And the best part — children get to take the stuffed animals home.

Also, guests can walk through a giant, inflatable replica of a human colon. Nolan the Colon features an informative display highlighting the differences between normal colon tissue and tissue impacted by various stages of colorectal cancer.

Reker said other event highlights include free helmet and lifejacket fittings, flu shots and car seat checks/installations. While lab drawings and health screenings don’t require advance preparation, people who are interested in the comprehensive Casey Eye Institute vision exams must register in advance at 541-667-3502 or healthinfo@gshealth.org.

For more information, search www.gshealth.org. For questions, to volunteer or to inquire about participating as a vendor, visit bit.ly/3YWQjFu, call 541-667-3509 or email healthinfo@gshealth.org.