Students in Paul Chaput's seventh-grade physical education class at the Matthew Kuss Middle School had a chance to get their blood analyzed and compare results as part of the Southcoast Hospital Group Cardiovascular Prevention Program on January 14, 2009. Run by nurse clinician Donna Querim, RN, BS, MS, JD, and dietitian Amanda Szot, the program travels throughout schools in Fall River and the Southcoast area to teach fundamentals of cardiovascular health. "By teaching middle school children about cardiovascular risk factors that could lead to heart disease in adulthood we're giving them the chance to avoid many of the medical problems that their parents and grandparents are experiencing now," commented Ms. Querim. Fall River has a much higher heart disease rate than the rest of the state, and much of this difference is due to the diet of local residents. The team has educated hundreds of children at Kuss, Henry Lord, Talbot, and Holy Family schools in Fall River and a similar number in the New Bedford and Wareham Areas. Click here to see photos of a sixth-grade class at Kuss. For further information about the program, contact Donna Querim at 508-679-7115 or by e-mail at querimd@southcoast.org.
 

(Top row, left) Brittany Lajoie tries taking Yamilet DaSilva's blood pressure as Shea Mooney watches. (Top row, center) Nurse clinician Donna Querim, RN, BS, MS, JD, takes a sample of physical education instructor Paul Chaput's blood as students dietetic intern Diane Tryon and students look on. (Top row, right) Felipe Tolazzi has his blood pressure taken by Brittany Lajoie while Alcer Agosto waits his turn. (Middle row, left) Donna Querim goes over the procedure with intern Diane Tryon. (Middle row, right) Joao Alves gets his finger pricked for a blood sample by Charlton Hospital dietitian Amanda Szot. (Bottom row, left) Alcer Agosto and Joao Alves ask Brittany Lajoie a question about her testing results. (Bottom row, center) Felipe Tolazzi, Dominique Vandal, Kendra Galego and Yamilet DaSilva compare their results. (Bottom row, right) Brittney goes over her results with Mr. Chaput.