Paducah Blood Pressure 4 Kids Awareness Day event to feature 'Swamp People' stars | Events

MCCRACKEN COUNTY, KY (KFVS) - Western Baptist Hospital is sponsoring Paducah Blood Pressure 4 Kids Awareness Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 21, at Kentucky Oaks Mall.

The Edwards family, including Junior, Willie and Theresa, stars from the History Channel’s “Swamp People,” will be there to meet fans and sign autographs. According to the hospital, the first 500 kids will receive a goody bag from the hospital.

The National Pediatric Blood Pressure Awareness Foundation encourages everyone to wear red on that date to bring awareness to under diagnosed hypertension in children.

Volunteers from The Pediatric Group of Paducah will provide free blood pressure screenings for children ages 3 to 17. Pediatrician Jeffrey Mudd, M.D., said he rarely treated high blood pressure in children in the past, but it is becoming more common as a result of childhood obesity.

“This screening is a great opportunity for children to receive a free screening,” Dr. Mudd said.

The hospital says an estimated two million children live with hypertension nationally. They say it is recommended for all children to receive routine blood pressure screens starting at age three.

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