By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
Rafu Staff Writer
Strolling down a corridor at St. Francis Xavier Japanese Catholic Center (formerly Maryknoll), Barry Goy, M.D. was more than pleased with the day’s turnout.
“The best thing that can come of this event is that people feel comfortable seeing a doctor,” Goy said, as the third year of the re-established Health Fair for the Japanese American Community was winding down on Oct. 26.
“Some people, particularly in the Japanese community, only see a doctor once a year, so our goal with this fair is not only to provide health services, but to offer translation and keep them in contact with physicians they might already know,” he explained.
Goy, a radiologist for more than 30 years and president of the Japanese American Medical Association, is recently retired but remains committed to the mission of keeping healthcare services local and available.
He and John Kanai of Koreisha Senior Care & Advocacy lead a group that has taken up the mantle of a community health fair that was operated in Little Tokyo for nearly 40 years, but ended in 2018.
Like the original Nikkei Health Fairs in Little Tokyo organized by members of the Taisho Club, last month’s event offered face-to-face consultations with physicians, nurses, therapists, insurance advisors and other healthcare professionals free of charge. Blood tests and vaccinations were available at minimal cost.
Goy said patients opting for tests would be contacted a few days later to discuss results.
“One of the most important jobs today is reaching out to Japanese-speaking residents who don’t know about MediCare of Medi-Cal and other programs,” said Kaori Imai, an insurance agent and advisor from Torrance who volunteered her services at the fair. “We had at least two people come today who had never even heard of those programs, important programs that are available to help them.”
The annual fair long ago became a valuable and comfortable opportunity for members of the Nikkei community to pose questions in a setting where they would not only be understood but also feel at ease among local and familiar faces.
More than 100 visited this year’s event, staffed by revered local doctors and providers like Dr. Kenji Irie, as well as recently established medical professionals, including Dr. Emily Teramoto.
