Very cool:

TRANSGENDER HEALTH FAIR, FIRST EVER IN SOUTHERN NEVADA
Renowned Surgeon Marci Bowers to come from Colorado

The first ever Transgender Health Fair will be held this Halloween, Saturday 31 October 2009, at the Gay & Lesbian Community Center, 953 E. Sahara (at Maryland Parkway) from 10 am to 1pm.  We will have a variety of community organizations on hand to provide free health screenings, health and advocacy information, and information about services available in Southern Nevada.  Celebrated surgeon Dr. Marci Bowers (www.MarciBowers.com) will be coming from Colorado to present on her work as well.  The health fair is free and open to the public, and will include food and beverage, live music from local artists BandVino, and a raffle of valuable prizes.

This event represents an historic opportunity to bring providers and transgender persons together.  Surgeon Marci Bowers will be presenting about her work in Trinidad, Colorado, and will also be speaking afterward to interested professionals about related health care needs of transgender persons in a talk scheduled to run from 1pm to 2pm.  The overall aim is to support a larger number of transgender persons to seek care from a larger pool of providers for a larger number of health-related issues.

“It is our hope to open a dialogue with providers about the need for increased access to low-cost, culturally competent health care,” states local Marriage and Family Therapist Jane Heenan, who also self-identifies as transgender.  “We wish to begin to address the lack of services to meet the primary, preventative, and mental health needs of the community.  For instance, many transitioning transgender persons can begin hormone therapy without access to health insurance.  Without access to a doctor, such persons often choose to purchase hormones on the street, administering them on a trial and error basis.”

A number of local health care professionals are committed to hosting tables at the event.  In addition, there will be other professionals who provide important services to the transgender community, including lawyers, politicians, and sexual assault and domestic violence service organizations.  “We expect a large and diverse group on Halloween at the Center,” said Heenan.

Sponsors include The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada, Harrah’s Corporation, and The Human Rights Campaign.