A mosque and a church are coming together to promote health in Naperville

Two religious organizations in Naperville from different faiths are coming together with common goals: improving public health and promoting interfaith understanding.

While the event they're planning is a health fair, members of both traditions say demonstrating cooperation among Muslims and Christians is their primary aim.

Islamic Center of Naperville and Community United Methodist Church are hosting a free, public health fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Islamic Center, 2844 W. Ogden Ave.

"We really both have the same passions," organizer Pat Shanower of Community United Methodist Church said, "to help those that need help in our communities."

Services include free flu shots, nutrition counseling, orthopedic education, physician consultations, massages, physical therapy, and screenings of vision, blood pressure, blood sugar and oral health. Dr. Atif Fakhruddin of the Islamic Center says these services are especially beneficial for people who do not have health insurance.

Doctors, nurses, dietitians, dentists and physical therapists will give talks on healthy eating, fitness, dental hygiene, living with high blood pressure, preventing heart disease, balance and fall prevention, life affected by diabetes and managing diabetes with a healthy diet.

The doctors participating are Islamic Center members recruited by Fakhruddin as part of a group of roughly 40 health fair volunteers.

"I'm so impressed that these Muslim doctors are willing to give their skills to do something like this," Shanower said.

For her part, Shanower recruited nursing students, nurses and other helpers among the church's volunteer group of about 30.

"It's a great partnership. It should give a strong message to the community that, you know, different faiths can work together when it comes to helping humanity," Fakhruddin said. "That's our message is to help humanity."

The cooperative health fair, approaching its second year, grew out of the Islamic Center's free health clinic. The clinic launched last year with hours by appointment from 9 a.m. to noon the first Sunday of the month and 7 to 9 p.m. the third Wednesday.

Fakhruddin said he made the mistake of hosting a small health fair about five years ago before the clinic opened. He said people who thought they were healthy, only to discover they had high blood pressure or were at risk for diabetes, left more worried than before. So, he decided not to host another screening until the clinic was open to provide follow-up.

Shanower said she heard of the clinic and wanted to know how the church could promote the vital service. That's how the idea for the cooperative event developed.

"Some people might be hesitant going to the mosque for the first time," Shanower said. "By having a cooperative venture, they would see maybe some familiar faces and be willing to take advantage of it."