OVMC Teams with Ohio County Medical Alliance to Present Women’s Heart Program
02/12/09

WHEELING--In celebration of February’s ‘Hearth Month’, Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, along with the OVMC Auxiliary and the Ohio County Medical Alliance, presented a program totally dedicated to women, their health and their hearts.

"A Heart to Heart Talk With Women" was held for more than 100 guests on Tuesday, February 10 in the Nurses Residence Auditorium at OVMC. The purpose of the program was to educate area women about the importance of heart health in their own lives.

"Heart health for women is something that they often take for granted," explained Mary Velez, Auxiliary Liaison for Ohio Valley Medical Center. "Women continue to think that heart attacks affect only men, but the reality is that heart disease is the number one killer of women today."

The morning portion of the program included presentations by Dr. William E. Noble, a cardiologist at OVMC, and by dietitian Joginder Kaur, MS,RD,LD. Additionally, a heartwarming presentation was made by three area women who are heart attack survivors.

"These women came to us with amazing stories of survival with the hope of inspiring other women to take note of the fact that heart disease doesn’t just kill men," Velez said.

The afternoon session of the program featured a heart healthy lunch, followed by a health fair. The health fair included cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, massages by Physical Therapists Rozita Asli and Angela Teachout, vascular screenings by the Neurovascular Department at OVMC, information from the American Heart Association and representatives from CentreTown Fitness.

"Our goal was the provide a day filled with heart health information, healthy foods and an opportunity to screen women to help determine their risk of developing heart disease," said Nahla Khoury, President of the Ohio County Medical Alliance.

The event was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the Ohio County Medical Alliance, the OVMC Auxiliary and Ohio Valley Medical Center and its administration.