renton fire & emergency services, the hope heart institute & valley ...

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Feb 1, 2016 - This year The Hope Heart Institute will join the group as they continue their February heart heath educati
RENTON FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES, THE HOPE HEART INSTITUTE & VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER, PARTNER FOR FEBRUARY HEART MONTH -Community Organizations Partner To Support Renton Students and The Community During February’s Heart Month SEATTLE (February 1, 2016) – The month of February is dedicated to raising awareness about heart health and increasing knowledge about preventing cardiovascular disease. For the past ten years the Renton Fire and Emergency Services, the Renton School District and Valley Medical Center have partnered on community outreach activities focused on heart health and have worked together to check student and staff blood pressure and blood sugar. This year The Hope Heart Institute will join the group as they continue their February heart heath education and screening in the Renton schools and throughout the community. These groups will be visiting schools and community locations throughout Renton to conduct heart health screenings, including blood pressure and blood sugar readings and will also include educational information on how to live a heart healthy life to prevent cardiovascular disease. Activities throughout the month will include: 

Hands-on heart health lessons and screenings with elementary, middle and high school students in the Renton School District.



Heart health screenings at community locations



Blood pressure and blood sugar screenings at local Renton fire stations during regular business hours.

“We are dedicated to doing all we can to improve the heart health of city residents and encourage everyone to educate themselves on the dangers of heart disease and how to have better heart health,” states Battalion Chief John Lecoq of Renton Fire and Emergency Services.

“In addition to all students learning more about how their choices can impact heart health, a number of students have been identified during the screening with high blood pressure or high blood sugar and after following up with their primary care providers, were diagnosed with diabetes or high blood sugar,” said Laura Widdice, RN, Director Health Services Renton School District. “None of these families had any idea their children had health issues that impacted their heart health. Several families mentioned the whole family is trying to make better choices for heart health. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. It kills more people than all other diseases combined and kills more than 12 million people worldwide each year. The good news is that up to 70% of cardiovascular disease is preventable. A good place to start in determining your level of risk is by knowing your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. These important numbers can tell you what actions are necessary to help prevent the onset of chronic health conditions.

About The Renton Fire & Emergency Services Providing outstanding services to the community and presenting information which will assist in preparing and protecting families from unexpected emergencies. Working to make the community safer, healthier, and stronger. For more information visit: http://rentonwa.gov/fire/ About The Hope Heart Institute The Hope Heart Institute delivers research, education and hope to those in the Northwest who are at risk or have been impacted by cardiovascular disease, the #1 cause of death in America. With a focus on risk-reduction and prevention through nutrition, exercise and wellness education, The Hope makes heart disease more beatable, treatable and preventable. For more information about The Hope, visit www.hopeheart.org. About Valley Medical Center Established in 1947, Valley Medical Center (VMC) is a public district hospital in Renton, WA, with a network of primary care, urgent care and specialty clinics located throughout southeast King County. For more information about Valley Medical Center, visit http://www.valleymed.org/ Media Contact:

Lori MeyersCommunications Director, The Hope Heart Institute P: 206-915-7384 E: [email protected] ###