February is National Heart Month. Over the next 28 days, we’ll be celebrating the progress we’ve made in heart care, sharing heart-healthy habits, and telling the stories of people with heart conditions that we have helped at UT Southwestern. We plan to have at least one event that is related to heart health every day in February: that’s at least 28 events over the next 28 days.
You may be wondering why we developed and are embarking upon 28 Days of Heart Health. The answer is quite simple: we want to show the world that when it comes to heart care, we, at UT Southwestern, are all in, each and every day.
In the United States, heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women. Fortunately, however, many heart conditions are largely preventable through lifestyle choices and access to responsible care. For your own personal health, this month could also be the start of something big. Also, by helping spread this message, you can help us save the lives of others.
Here’s a sneak preview of some of the things we’ll be doing this month to celebrate heart health:
Telling stories and sharing videos
Through articles, videos, and social media, we’ll tell stories of patients who have survived heart failure and rare double-organ transplants, the physicians who made these successes possible, and the history of complex heart care at UT Southwestern.
We also plan to highlight certain key topics, like the importance of exercise. Our physicians will explain what it takes to train your heart for an intense athletic event like a triathlon, and why even our busiest physicians prioritize exercise for their own heart health.
Sharing these stories gives us a chance to reflect back on the legacy of heart care at UT Southwestern. Our history is one of creating breakthrough solutions to serious heart problems. We’ll look at these milestones, and show how that mindset lives on in our state-of-the-art research programs and approach to patient care.
Hosting fun, interactive events
Take concrete action this month with our interactive and educational events. We’re creating opportunities to learn CPR, cook healthier meals, and show your support for heart disease patients.
We hope you will join us on February 3, also known as National Wear Red Day. Red is the color of National Heart Month, so show your support for heart patients and heart-healthy lifestyles by wearing red with us.
On campus in February, UT Southwestern will be hosting health fairs, the Million-Step Challenge, and ‘Lunch and Learn’ programming with top physicians. Our dietitians will do live cooking demonstrations of healthy, kid-friendly meals, and our doctors will host a live video chat to answer questions about women’s heart health.
Off campus, we’re teaching young people about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math and organizing community CPR training days around Dallas, including some at well known Dallas destinations including NorthPark Center, the Dallas World Aquarium, and the Perot Museum. Join us and you’ll learn what to do in the case of a serious emergency.
Celebrating meaningful partnerships
National Heart Month is also a chance for UT Southwestern to celebrate our partnership with the American Heart Association. We’ve been proud partners of the AHA for a long time, working together on cutting-edge research and raising awareness of heart disease and health.
Last year, our relationship became even stronger when Dr. John Warner, Vice President and CEO of our University Hospitals at UT Southwestern, was named President-Elect of the American Heart Association. He’ll serve as the AHA President for the 2017-2018 year. Further, Dr. Joseph Hill, Chief of the Division of Cardiology assumed the prestigious position of Editor-in-Chief of Circulation, the premier scientific journal of the American Heart Association.
We’re excited to share with you the work we’re doing with the AHA to help ensure good heart health for all.
Follow along with 28 Days of Heart Health
So stay tuned for all 28 Days of Heart Health. We hope you learn a lot, including tips that can help our own heart health. You can keep up with the activities this month with the calendar, and by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
