SGMC Celebrates Heart Health Month

Valdosta, GA- February is Heart Health Month and South Georgia Medical Center is celebrating National Wear Red Day and hosting a Heart Health Expo to promote awareness of heart disease throughout the community.  SGMC is partnering with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign and encouraging everyone to wear red on Friday, Feb. 6, National Wear Red Day, to raise awareness of women and heart disease. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined.  SGMC’s main event, the annual Heart Health Expo, will be Saturday, Feb. 14 from 9 a.m. until noon at Valdosta State University’s University Center located at 1205 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta. Sponsored by SGMC’s Dasher Memorial Heart Center, South Health District, and 100 Black Men of Valdosta, Inc, this event offers free EKG’s, carotid ultrasound screenings, cholesterol and blood sugar screenings, blood pressure checks, foot screenings and body fat analyses. Classes on Compressions-Only CPR, information on nutrition, smoking cessation, and diabetes management will also be provided.   Participating physicians include Drs. Glenn Evans, Randy Brown and Maurice Solis. Local podiatrists Drs. Erin and Nic Dodson will conduct foot screenings. Appointments are required for portions of this event and can be made by calling 229.433.1074.   According to the AHA, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world and the United States, killing nearly 380,000 Americans each year. Over 83 million Americans are living with some form of cardiovascular disease or the after-effects of stroke.  For more information or to make an appointment, call 229.433.1074.