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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Speare Memorial Hospital
(603) 536-1120
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February 2, 2008 |
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SMH Goes Red to Unmask Heart Disease
National Wear Red Day kicks off hospital´s month-long UnMasking Heart Disease Campaign
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PLYMOUTH, N.H. --- Employees at Speare Memorial Hospital kicked off its month-long campaign, UnMasking Heart Disease, by wearing red to work on February 1, National Wear Red Day. February is American Heart Month and SMH hopes to help raise awareness of, and promote healthy habits leading to, heart health with educational outreach and programming.
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| "Last year´s Paint the Town Red campaign was a first for Speare Memorial Hospital in actively engaging our communities to participate in a series of events centered on one topic area," explains Director of Community Relations Michele Hutchins. "This year we want to build on that success, but with a slightly different focus on cardiac care continuum."
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 | Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women in America and 37 percent of all Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease—that is one out of every three people. UnMasking Heart Disease refers to the campaign goal of supporting the purchase of a new Electrocardiogram (EKG) machine for SMH Cardiopulmonary Services. An EKG is one of the tools used to first "unmask" a patient´s heart disease and set a course for treatment. Purchasing an EKG with upgraded technologies that supports interoperability, or compatibility, between systems and providers will allow for more timely diagnosis and treatment.
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| To commemorate the campaign and help raise funds for the new EKG, custom made green and purple cat-eye mask pins, with gold embellishments, are being sold for $5 each. Pins are available at the SMH Gift Counter in the Main Lobby Atrium, and at each of our campaign events. The schedule of UnMasking Heart |
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Disease events is as follows:
- Fri., February 8: Sponsorship of Soul of the Bayou at the PSU´s Silver Center
Pins and information available in the main lobby.
- Wed., February 20: The Heart Truth, 7 p.m. at Meredith Community Center
FREE Health & Wellness presentation
- Fri., February 22: Heart Healthy Community Breakfast, 7 – 9 a.m. SMH Main Entrance Atrium, Tickets $5
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| "The spirit of New Orleans and Mardi Gras are actually what inspired our campaign mask pin, as we are the sponsor of Soul of the Bayou´s performance at the Silver Center," notes Hutchins. "We thought it would serve as an appropriate performance souvenir, as well as bring attention to this very important health issue."
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| Educational programs scheduled for the month include a free Health & Wellness presentation by Dr. John Jehl entitled The Heart Truth on Wednesday, February 20, 7 p.m., at the Meredith Community Center on Route 3 and 25, just north the lights downtown. Dr. Jehl´s presentation will give the facts about heart disease, help people understand their risk, and what they can do to take action today. |
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| Also, SMH will be serving a Heart Healthy Community Breakfast from 7 – 9 a.m. on Friday, February 22. As breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it will be an opportunity to educate the community that eating a well-balanced, heart healthy diet isn´t about "diet food," rather eating the right combination of foods—protein, carbohydrates and fats. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance at the SMH Gift Counter, or reserved by contacting Michele Hutchins in Community Relations at 238-6468 or via email at mhutchins@spearehospital.com.
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Michele Barney Hutchins
Director of Community Relations
Speare Memorial Hospital
(603) 238-6468
mhutchins@spearehospital.com
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