CLEVELAND — There’s a unique event happening next Saturday to boost lead screenings for kids under the age of six.
It's called Tiny Tux and Tiaras Citywide Kiddie Prom, and Radio One/Urban One and the Cleveland Department of Public Health’s Lead Safe Living Program are organizing it for parents like Westley Fitzgerald.
“It blew my mind to be honest,” said Fitzgerald.
Being a dad for Fitzgerald means more than just capturing the perfect moment.
He said it’s also about being a champion of his son’s health.
“I actually have a 6-year-old son who’s actually non-verbal,” said Fitzgerald.
Despite this ongoing challenge, Fitzgerald said it’s important now, more than ever, to get his son screened for lead poisoning because he believes his condition may be a result of it.
“I do think that it has to do with lead, and I always knew that if I took classes with lead technician and clearance and becoming a risk accesor, I would have more knowledge than this,” said Fitzgerald.
In Cleveland, Urban One Government Representative Ramahn Weaver understands some parents have more questions than answers when it comes to what he calls one of the city’s most urgent public health issues.
“Cleveland has one of the highest lead rates in the country with children being impacted even higher than Flint, so working with the Cleveland Department of Public Health, our goal was to leverage a fun, family-friendly event to raise awareness,” said Weaver.
More than 1,300 children in Cleveland tested positive for elevated levels of lead in their blood last year. And the lead-poisoning rate for young kids hasn’t budged much since 2019, when the city enacted a law designed to make rental properties safer.
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Weaver said he also would like to increase lead screenings for children under the age of six, since public health officials said there can be barriers to access for parents to know if their child is experiencing learning and behavioral disabilities, among other symptoms.
“I think a lot of parents don’t know where to go. They usually don’t have a primary care physician, which they can go to and sometimes the doctors don’t always make that information readily available to them,” said Wallace Chambers, Cleveland Department of Public Health Commissioner of Environment.
Now, both organizations will make sure parents are educated at Tiny Tux and Tiaras Citywide Kiddie Prom on Saturday, May 31, from 1-4 p.m. at Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Center.
“We know that this is a hard topic, so we want to strategize on being creative in a way to engage families,” said Weaver.
Fitzgerald said he looks forward to bringing his son.
“You guys are really touching the city and really bringing... more of an awareness to parents and actually going to help us move forward to the future,” said Fitzgerald.
To register for the event, click here.
You can also find more information about lead poisoning here.
