Saints Medical Center, American Heart Association to Host Greater Merrimack Valley Heart Walk Lowell, MA, February 2, 2007
Initiative Aimed at Raising Awareness of Heart Disease, Stroke in Community
Saints Medical Center is partnering with the American Heart Association (AHA) to raise local awareness and increase education in the community about the risks of heart disease and stroke. Key to this partnership is the development and launch of the inaugural Greater Merrimack Valley Heart Walk in Lowell, slated for Saturday, September 29. Saints Medical Center is the host and presenting sponsor of the Heart Walk, a first for the region.
Heart Walk Chair Michael Guley, Saints President and CEO, is pleased to bring this important event to the Greater Merrimack Valley community. "The Heart Walk is a perfect fit with the development of our Center of Excellence in cardiovascular and stroke services," stated Mr. Guley. "Saints is passionate in its commitment to reduce disability and death from heart disease and stroke, this country's number one and number three killers. Key to our commitment is building awareness and education about the risks associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke, and the importance of leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. Through the Heart Walk and our community education efforts, we hope to increase awareness and generate enthusiasm in the community for making lifestyle changes that promote heart health."
"We are excited to partner with Saints in bringing the Heart Walk to this region," said AHA Corporate Events Director Renee Abdella. "The partnership with Saints Medical Center allows the American Heart Association to expand the Heart Walk, its signature fundraising event, to the Greater Merrimack Valley. Lowell now joins Boston, Worcester, Springfield and Cape Cod as a major Heart Walk venue."
"The Heart Walk is more than an event; it is an experience that promotes physical activity and heart-healthy living in a fun family environment," added William "Chip" Sugrue, Executive Vice President of the American Heart Association's Northeast Affiliate. "With approximately 20,000 deaths attributed to heart disease and stroke annually in Massachusetts, we thank Saints Medical Center for taking such an active role in promoting heart health initiatives in the Merrimack Valley."
Saints joined several Lowell-area businesses participating in "Wear Red Day" on Friday, February 2nd. The event is aimed at raising awareness that heart disease is the number-one killer of women. Staff wore red to show their support of heart health, and special Saints red t-shirts with the "We're beating heart disease!" message and AHA Red Dress pins were available for donations of $10 and $5, respectively, to the American Heart Association. Educational materials on heart disease and stroke awareness were available throughout the day to staff, patients and visitors. Saints Medical Center employees raised more than $2,000 for the American Heart Association's Go Red campaign. Nationally, Go Red For Women Day raised $2.1 million, with 11,700 companies participating in 2006. Nearly 700 Lowell-area businesses were invited to participate in Wear Red Day as part of the "Learn and Live Lowell" initiative. Among other companies to accept the challenge were Riverside Primary Care Specialists, KLN Construction Co, Inc., Merrimack Valley Cardiology, Mill City Environmental, Hilb, Rogal, & Hobbs of Massachusetts LLC, Butler Bank, and Middlesex Community College.
Saints Medical Center is a nonprofit, full service, acute care community hospital serving Greater Lowell and the Merrimack Valley since 1839. A 218-bed licensed medical center, Saints provides advanced health services to 315,000 residents in 25 towns. With more than 350 physicians and 1,200 employees, Saints Medical Center is well known for outstanding medical care and patient-centered facilities including our Cancer Center, Family Birth Unit, Orthopedic Center and Cardiac Services. Saints also offers convenient community-based care at several ambulatory sites and is dedicated to promoting health and wellness in the community. We have clinical affiliations with the leading Boston academic medical centers and are proud to be one of the top-rated hospitals in Massachusetts according to the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
About the American Heart Association
Since 1924, the American Heart Association has helped protect people of all ages and ethnicities from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, the nation's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim more than 910,000 American lives a year. The association invested nearly $474 million in fiscal year 2004-05 for research, professional and public education, advocacy, and community service programs so people across America can live stronger, longer lives.
