Nationwide Screening Fairs Help Women Identify Risk Factors
New research showing that women's heart problems are being underestimated, underdiagnosed
and undertreated demonstrates that women must take more active charge of their
own heart health. One way is to get a free heart screening at National Woman's
Heart Day Health Fairs this Friday, February 18th in 12 cities, including Atlanta,
Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia,
Miami, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. (see http://www.sistertosister.org for
times and locations).
The fairs are sponsored by Sister to Sister: Everyone Has a Heart Foundation,
Inc.(R). Women who cannot attend a health fair are urged to see their doctors
for a screening as soon as possible.
Heart disease is the leading killer of American women, responsible for more
deaths than breast cancer and all types of cancer combined. However, most heart
disease can be prevented, and women can substantially lower their risk through
simple lifestyle changes. All women should be screened for heart disease, since
many conditions that put women at risk, such as high cholesterol, high blood
pressure, and diabetes, are hard to detect without screening.
"Heart disease kills one out of three American women," said Irene
Pollin, founder and President of Sister to Sister. "Providing heart screenings
so women can learn about their personal risk factors and how to reduce them
is a key step in prevention and treatment," she added.
The free ten-minute heart health screenings measure cholesterol, blood pressure,
blood glucose and body mass index, provide on-the-spot results, an overall risk
assessment and medical counseling. The fairs also feature fitness, beauty and
cooking demonstrations, and giveaways. Participants can take seminars from nationally
known experts on diabetes, nutrition, obesity, fitness, quitting smoking and
stress management, all key to heart disease prevention.
"The good news is that women can lower their risk of heart disease by
as much as 82 percent through simple lifestyle changes," said Pollin. "Women,
who do so much for others, must take care of their own hearts. It may be the
best ten minutes they ever spend!"
Bank of America is this year's presenting national sponsor. Other sponsors
include America Online, Discovery Health Channel, and iVillage. Government partners
include the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes
of Health, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sister to Sister is a nonprofit foundation whose mission is:
- To make women more aware that heart disease is the number one killer of
women
- To offer free nationwide heart health screenings for women, the first
step toward prevention
- To encourage women of all ages and backgrounds to adopt heart healthy
lifestyles
For more information, please visit online at http://www.sistertosister.org.
