The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS Heart Association is reminding people all month long to thoroughly educate themselves and take proactive steps to prevent the silent killer – heart disease.

The association, along with the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation hosted an initiative to officially kick off February as Heart Month on Saturday at the Mall At Marathon.

Shoppers were provided with useful information about heart health, heart disease and more. Throughout the month, the association will present various events to raise funds and heighten awareness of the disease.

According to the Heart Association, heart disease has been and still is the number one killer of people around the world. In adults, most often, heart disease develops over a period of time and the risk of development can be reduced through lifestyle choices; what one eats, drinks, smokes and whether one exercises.

The Heart Association in conjunction with the Heart Foundation seeks to educate and inform the public about living heart healthy lifestyles. They also provide financial aid to children who need to undergo major surgery to correct heart defects.

President of the Heart Association Thelma Johnson said that unlike adults, infants have done nothing to contribute to the development heart disease; it’s congenital. They also have to rely heavily on the help of others to survive.

“There are a lot of adults with heart disease as well, but the problem is some people are not really conscious of having a healthy body,” Ms Johnson said.

“Years ago when we first started assisting people with heart disease, we assisted adults as well as the children. But it got so severe because there were so many patients and the funds could not help everyone. So we resolved to helping children only. The role of the association is to help people have a healthy heart, and so if we are educating you about having a healthy heart and we are telling you what to do from what not to do and you are not taking heed, then you will come down with heart disease or other ailments. But we cannot teach the little children, and if they are born with heart disease then that is something that is not their fault.”

Ms Johnson said the association needs the public’s support and donations because the lives of children depend on it. She said hardly any child in dire need of care gets turned away.

“One year we had like 21 kids to assist financially. Last year we had about 12 children. We find that kids are born with heart disease about every day and there are a lot those kids can be helped here, and those with more severe cases, they have to go to our partners in Florida to get care for heart disease,” she said.

“We hardly ever turn anyone away. We have doctors here in the Bahamas that can perform the surgery here, and if the cases are severe then we send them abroad to other doctors.”

February is celebrated as Heart Month globally. The Heart Ball Committee, the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation and the Bahamas Heart Association want to invite the general public to join them as they celebrate Heart Month and help to sustain heart beats one at a time.

“As we embrace Heart Month, we would like to encourage the public to join us in the fight against heart disease. The Heart Foundation, the Heart Ball Committee, the Bahamas Heart Association and sponsors have joined together to host many informative and educational events. I wish to encourage the general public to come out and support these events; you can learn to save a life,” said Ingrid Sears, public relations officer of the Heart Foundation.

In addition to attending the 51st Annual Heart Ball on February 14, the public can make donations the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation. This year, a special appeal is being made for organisations to have employees wear red on February 13 or February 20 (Go Red Day) and donate $1 for each person wearing red.

Heart Month Events:

February 7 - Free CPR classes at SC McPherson School from 10am to 2pm

February 12 - Salus Event at the Family Medicine Centre starting at 7pm

February 13 - Cable Bahamas’ Valentine’s launch

February 14 - 51st Annual Heart Ball at the Meliá Nassau Beach Resort starting at 7.15pm.

February 19 - Doctor’s Hospital lecture at 6 pm, with blood pressure checks from 5pm. The event is free.

February 20 - ‘Go Red Day’: Wear red and donate.

February 21 - Family Fit & Fun at the NPCC from 10am to 2pm. Free of charge.

February 26 - The Annual Health Fair at Town Centre Mall from 9am to 4pm.

February 28 - The annual fun/run walk