Association of Black Cardiologists Brings Free Spirit of the Heart Screenings and Awareness to Baltimore, MD

Spirit of the Heart aims to Reduce Heart Disease Death Rate in Baltimore, MD

BALTIMORE, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) is teaming with Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Empowerment Temple AME Church and Sister-to-Sister Foundation to launch their Spirit of the Heart campaign in Baltimore, MD on Sunday, November 3, 2013. ABC will conduct community leader health seminars and a community health fair at Empowerment Temple AME Church to address risks for heart disease and to teach residents about the seven steps to heart health.  ABC will provide free health screenings and wellness information to help reduce the risks of developing heart diseases.  The community is also invited to get a free heart disease risk assessment that includes: high blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, height, weight, body mass index and waist circumference.  Healthcare professionals will be available for consultations.   

"We are bringing experienced health care professionals to 'high risk' residents of the community," said Ola Akinboboye, MD, president of the Association of Black Cardiologists. "The Spirit of the Heart program is free. Friends and family are welcome to take part in heart health screenings and interact with the many different healthy living vendors on site at the health fair."

Spirit of the Heart comes as national health data and government research show widening health disparities between people of color and the general population. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report indicates that there is a significant increase of teens, and young people, aged 15 to 44 hospitalized for stroke due partly to the increasing numbers of young people who have conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Heart Disease claims nearly 2000 lives in Baltimore City each year.

"Community outreach," said Icilma Fergus, MD, President Elect of ABC and Chair, Community Relations, "is an essential component to the work that health care providers do to ultimately reduce cardiovascular mortality because it reaches people at the elemental level."

Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, Director of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for Prevention of Heart Disease and Marlene Williams, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Director at Johns Hopkins at Bayview Medical Center, will lead the discussion "Heart Disease in African Americans" discussing the prevention and treatment of heart disease. 

WHO: Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc.  

WHEN:  Sunday, November 3, 2013

WHERE: Empowerment Temple AME Church
4221 Primrose Ave
Baltimore, MD 21215

Session I - 8:45 am – 9:45 am
Session II - 10:45 am – 11:45 am

Free Health Screenings 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

ABC contact: [email protected]
Phone 202-375-6524

7 Steps to a Healthy Heart patient education booklet
Trailer - Before You Eat the Church Food , Watch this Video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPk5ct5O-3k

SOURCE Association of Black Cardiologists