Iowa Barber Brings Free Blood Pressure Checks to 80+ Shops

Craig Hunt was 39, hitting the gym regularly, and working 50-hour weeks when a stroke changed everything. The Des Moines barber had stopped taking his blood pressure medication because he felt healthy. Just one week after his son was born in 2016, Hunt lost sensation in his entire left side.

The stroke paralyzed his dominant hand, forcing him to completely relearn his craft. "I had to learn to cut with my right hand. So, it was like starting all over again," Hunt told KCCI 8 News. He worked through the embarrassment of delivering cuts that didn't meet his own standards, determined to rebuild his skills.

Today, Hunt has made a full recovery and turned his experience into a mission. In 2022, he launched Blood Pressures in Barbershops, partnering with the American Heart Association to bring free health screenings directly to clients getting haircuts. Local nurses now visit participating shops to check blood pressure while customers wait for their fresh cuts.

The program has exploded across Iowa, with more than 80 barbershop locations now offering the free service. Hunt describes his work as being "a reverse tornado," building up everyone and everything in his path instead of tearing things down.

The Ripple Effect

The timing couldn't be more critical. Strokes are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, yet 80% are preventable through simple steps like managing blood pressure. Nearly one in four stroke survivors will have another stroke, making early detection vital.

Wesley Franklin, community impact director for the American Heart Association of Iowa, sees Hunt's story as the perfect teaching moment. "If this could happen to Craig, this could happen to anybody," Franklin told Local 5 News. The barbershop setting creates a comfortable space for men, who traditionally avoid regular doctor visits, to get quick health checks.

Hunt's partnership brings crucial screening to communities where people gather regularly and trust their barbers. The program catches high blood pressure before it causes life-changing damage, giving people the chance Hunt wishes he'd taken more seriously.

From nearly losing everything to saving lives one haircut at a time, Hunt has transformed his second chance into countless opportunities for others to protect their health.