February focus on heart health
Water Authority staff in red in 2018
(CNS Local Life): Ahead of marking heart month in February, the Cayman Heart Fund (CHF) has announced several related events as well as fundraising opportunities. For the past 12 years, the non-profit has been working in the community to raise money and increase awareness about the risks for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, with the ultimate goal the eradication of both.
In a CHF press release, the fund’s coordinator, Colleen Mellott, encouraged the public to wear red to publicise heart month and the organisation’s efforts. Mellott said she was grateful for the community’s support, adding residents should contact the CHF to share wear red photos and inspiring stories on how they are honouring heart month.
“Wear red in your school, workplace and neighbourhood and raise awareness and funds for the Cayman Heart Fund so we can continue our work in the community,” she said in the release, which stated that CVDs are the number one cause of death globally.
Heart month is a “fantastic way to remind everyone to focus on their hearts and encourage them to get their families, friends and communities involved”, Mellott said, stressing “the most important thing you can do is to speak to your physician about your risks and know your numbers by checking for blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar levels, weight, and BMI”.
“Wear Red for Heart Month” T-shirts are available at the Cayman Heart Fund, Audi Camana Bay and Balance Cayman. Anyone who visits the Audi showroom and donates $20 or more to the Cayman Heart Fund will receive a free Wear Red T-shirt and a chance to win an Audi watch.
At Balance Cayman, which is in Caribbean Plaza, anyone who signs up for a special pilates class will receive a free Wear Red T-shirt with payment, but space is limited. In addition, all proceeds from pilates and fitness classes on Saturday, 23 February, will be donated to the Cayman Heart Fund.
Balance Cayman supporting last year’s heart month
Mellott suggests those participating in the wear red campaign be creative with their fundraising efforts and take photos of their team wearing red, noting they could win a spot in the fund’s month-end media coverage.
Following on from heart month CHF will be holding its 12th annual international symposium Thursday, 14 March, with this year’s focus on cardiology. Registration, which is free, is available online through this link; the conference is being held at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort from 5pm-9pm.
The symposium will feature presenters from Baptist International, Cleveland Clinic, Holy Cross and Jackson Memorial, who will discuss the latest achievements, scientific updates, new technology approaches and guidelines required to improve patient care.
The aim of the conference, said a press release, is “to stimulate new ideas for treatment and analyse the current market for the future direction, and clinical uses of various techniques in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of common heart diseases”.
Certificates of Medical Education (CMEs) will be presented at the end of the programme.
For more information or to purchase Wear Red T-shirts call 916-6324 or email the Cayman Heart Fund
Category: Medical and Health
