Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Health, Community
By News and Internal Communications
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – JAN. 14, 2026 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's School of Podiatric Medicine (SOPM) will have several booths at the 77 Flea Market in Brownsville to offer free foot health checkups to the community this month.
On Sunday, Jan. 18, SOPM students will screen feet for general issues and early signs of diabetes and offer blood pressure and glucose checks. They will be located in booths 2113, 2115, 2117, and 2119.
Demian Rodriguez, a third-year SOPM student and volunteer coordinator, said no appointment is required, and everyone is welcome to receive the free services.
When they held their first screening event at the flea market in August, the students screened approximately 130 community members. Rodriguez said they hope to see more on Sunday.
“Our goal is to continue promoting preventive care and increasing access to health services within the Rio Grande Valley,” Rodriguez said.
“Typical ‘treatment’ is amputation,” said Dr. Javier La Fontaine, dean of the UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine and a recognized global expert on diabetic foot-related osteomyelitis, one complication of diabetes.
However, through decades of research, he has found that early diagnosis is possible through screening – like the ones the SOPM students are offering – and bone biopsies. Then, intravenous antibiotics can treat the infected tissue without resorting to amputation.
“We want the Rio Grande Valley community to start alternative treatment before it gets to the point of losing a toe, foot, or leg,” La Fontaine said. “It requires early detection, which our students are making accessible by going right into the community.”
Admission to the 77 Flea Market, located at 5595 N. Expressway, is free and open to the community.
For more information, contact Demian Rodriguez at demian.rodriguez01@utrgv.edu or (956) 546-5586.
ABOUT UTRGV
Celebrating its 10th anniversary during the 2025-2026 academic year, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is on a mission to transform the Rio Grande Valley, the Americas and the world. One of the country’s largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Seal of Excelencia certified, UTRGV has earned national recognition for its academic excellence, social mobility and student success since opening in Fall 2015. Ranked among the Best Colleges for your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars in 2025 by Washington Monthly (#7 nationally; #1 in Texas), UTRGV continues to break enrollment records, launch new academic and athletics programs and progress toward achieving R1 research status.
The only university in Texas with schools of Medicine and Podiatric Medicine, UTRGV’s regional footprint spans South Texas – with locations, teaching sites, and centers established in Edinburg, Brownsville, Rio Grande City, McAllen, Weslaco, Harlingen, Laredo, Port Isabel and South Padre Island.