I was delighted today while shopping at Costco to spot a banner advertising their pharmacy's free osteoporosis screenings (held just a couple of days ago at that store). I'd heard of hospitals and community centers offering such events periodically, but this is the first time I'd noted firsthand one at a shopping center.

It's a great idea, not only because it can advise potential sufferers that they have the disease but also because it can raise awareness among the hundreds or thousands of people who pass by... I imagined a youngster asking, "Mom, what's osteoporosis?" and learning the importance of consuming calcium and Vitamin D to keep one's bones healthy.

I hope it won't be long before osteoporosis screenings are as commonplace as the blood pressure screenings widely offered at retail stores and other locations.