Jan 13, 2009 5:57 pm US/Eastern
Women Need To Make Heart Health A Priority
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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It's a call for all women in the Baltimore area to make their heart health a priority.
CBS
It's a call for all women in the Baltimore area to make their heart health a priority.
Healthwatch reporter Kellye Lynn has more on a local push to protect women against heart disease.
For the fifth year in a row, the Sister to Sister Foundation kicked off its Women's Healthy Heart Campaign.
Oceannaire Restaurant had more than seafood on the menu Tuesday. Medical workers served up free health screenings.
"More women die from heart disease than men and the reason is women don't understand the symptoms and don't know how to protect themselves," said Sandy Hillman.
The disease affects more than 42 million women in the U.S. Cardiovascular disease touches one in three women and remains the nation's leading killer.
"A million Americans die of heart disease every year. That's the equivalent of 9/11 happening every day," said cardiologist Dr. Robert Vogel.
Last year's Sister to Sister Health Fair attracted nearly 4,000 women. About 1,000 were screened and 40% were at risk for heart disease.
"The reason they're at risk is because women do not take time to take care of themselves; they take time to take care of everybody else," Hillman said.
Sandy Unitas says Sister to Sister motivated her to get a heart health screening and the news wasn't good.
"I was 95% blocked on the left side of my heart and the day they found out, they walked me across the street and I was in surgery in two hours," she said.
She believes the health screening saved her life and thinks the upcoming Sister to Sister health fair can do the same for other women.
"You will be able to be screened for free. We have counselors there who will tell you about your numbers, explain them and help you make some lifestyle decisions to help you be healthier," she said.
The event takes place Feb. 24 at the Convention Center.
Mayor Dixon is offering non-essential city female workers two hours of leave to attend the health fair.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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