April 8, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) medical students will take to the streets for a good cause in the inaugural Run for the Health of It Saturday, May 1.

The 5K race and one-mile fun run will raise money for Equal Access Birmingham (EAB), a medical student group dedicated to providing health care and better access to care for the disadvantaged.

The race will begin at Crestline Elementary School and proceed through Mountain Brook. The 5K race begins at 8:30 a.m., and the one-mile fun run starts at 9:30 a.m. Prizes in different age categories will be awarded, including a prize for fastest medical student and fastest medical professional. Both runs are open to the public.

Cost is $20 for the 5K and $10 for the one-mile fun run prior to April 15 and $25 for the 5K and $15 for the one-mile fun run afterward. Registration and donations to EAB can be made online at www.active.com (type EAB 5K in the search box). Registration ends April 29. 

EAB is a non-profit, medical student-run organization committed to providing health care to underserved populations in the Birmingham area. In addition to running M-POWER free clinic once a week, EAB holds frequent health screenings and preventive-care workshops in the Birmingham area. Each year, EAB serves thousands of needy individuals through the volunteer efforts of students and faculty, who donate more than 1,000 hours of service in the free clinic alone.

About Equal Access Birmingham

Equal Access Birmingham staffs a free clinic at M-POWER, a faith-based social services ministry in urban Birmingham, on Wednesday evenings. The group also runs local health fairs and screenings, holds education courses and addresses other needs of under-served citizens in the community with specialty clinics. EAB works to raise awareness of the local health-care gap by partnering with local businesses, holding public fundraisers and participating in advocacy events.