Screenings available 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. February 4
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Tell your sister, your mother, your daughter, and your girlfriends — it’s time for women to love their hearts. The Seventh Annual Women Love Your Heart screening event will take place 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 4 at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute at Suncrest Towne Center.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined.
The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute is partnering with the WVU National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health and the WVU Extension Service to help women care for their hearts. Women Love Your Heart provides free screenings, assessments, and services, including:
- Blood pressure
- Body fat
- Glucose/cholesterol
- Cardiac risk assessment
- One-on-one nutrition counseling
- Pharmacy consultation sessions
- Personal fitness instruction
All attendees are asked to bring a list of their medications and supplements. Fasting is preferred but not required for the cholesterol and glucose tests.
“More women than men die of heart disease each year, and women experience different symptoms than men typically do,” Samantha Crites, D.O., cardiologist at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, said. “The more women know, the better prepared they will be to make the healthy choices and lifestyle changes that can make a huge difference.”
“As caretakers, women’s own health needs are often neglected. Women Love Your Heart events celebrate the power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease and stroke,” Betty Critch, WVU Center of Excellence in Women’s Health executive director, said.
Several gift baskets will be awarded as door prizes. Attendees can make a memory at the heart-themed photo booth and share their stories with other women on social media using the hashtag #LoveYourHeart.
The WVU Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Dentistry as well as the WVU Human Nutrition and Foods program are also participating in the event, offering education and instruction on exercise, diet, wellness, and a variety of other health topics. The American Heart Association will be on hand to help participants understand their risks and find their motivation for keeping their heart healthy.
This event is funded in part by the West Virginia University Extension Service with support from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in partnership with The Heart Truth® program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
The event will be held at 600 Suncrest Towne Centre Drive in Morgantown. For more information about this event, call 1-877-WVU-4HRT (988-4478) or visit the Women Love Your Heart Facebook event page.
The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, including outpatient clinics, is primarily located in the newly opened southeast tower at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital. For information about the Institute, visit wvumedicine.org/heart.