Southcoast
Health System become the official sponsor of
the Heritage State Park walking path, designating the path as part of a
national network of American Heart
Association heart-healthy walking paths.
Southcoast Cardiac Services
invited the community to “Take a Step Toward a Healthy Heart” at a
celebratory kick-off walk around the walking path and an afternoon of
activities focused around heart health on Saturday, May 5, 2012.
Following a brief ceremony, a kick-off walk led along the two-mile
walking path by representatives from Southcoast’s Cardiac Services,
the American Heart Association and the Massachusetts
Department of Conservation & Recreation. Afternoon
events offered heart healthy tips and education provided by Southcoast
specialists from a range of heart healthy programs, including Cardiac
Services, Diabetes Management, Cardiac Prevention and Cardiac Rehab, and
health screenings provided by the Southcoast Health Van. Heart
disease is the number one health problem on the South Coast where the
mortality rate from heart
disease is considerably higher than the state average. This
designation of the Heritage State walking path is the first in a series
of Southcoast-sponsored events in the region dedicated to raising
awareness and providing education on heart health. Click
here for the Standard-Times article. Click
here for the South Coast Insider article. Click
here for a for the 
video of
the event. For more
information, contact Southcoast Public Information Officer and News
Media Specialist Stephanie Lynn
Poyant at 508-961-5280.
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(Top row, left) Eduard Sousa and Elaine
Scolaro
dance to the music
provided at the Heritage State Visitor's Center by the Magnolia
Cajun Band. (Top row, center and right) Southcoast
Hospitals Vice President of Marketing & Public Affairs Jim Rattray
welcomes people to the event and introduces the speakers. (Row two) Massachusetts
Department of Conservation & Recreation Assistant
Commissioner Priscilla
Geigis, Fall River Mayor William Flanagan, and Souhtcoast Physician-in-Chief
of Cardiovascular Services Margaret Ferrell, M.D. talk about the
importance of exercise in preventing cardiac disease. (Row three) American
Heart Association Southeast New England Walk
Director Michelle Karn thanks DCR and Southcoast Hospital for the
designation before the official sign is unveiled and walkers, including
Dianne Rivet of New Bedford, warm up for the one-mile walk. (Bottom row,
left) A group walks along the boardwalk following flags carried by Southcoast
Hospitals Community Benefits Coordinator Kerry Mello, Director of Cardiac
Interventional Services Dave Teixeira, and Liduino Lopes from Food
Services. (Bottom row, right) Jim Rattray is joined by his wife, Lisa, and
Peter Cohn, M.D., second from right, cardiologist at Southcoast Physicians
Group's Truesdale Cardiology practice in Fall River.. |
