|
|
 |
|
|
'Heart Talker' Campaign Hopes to Save 161 Lives
|
|
|
|
Word of mouth can be a powerful communication tool, and armed with the right information, Volusia County residents could use it to actually save
lives - 161 lives to be exact.
Reducing heart disease is the goal of the new Women's Leadership Campaign to Save Lives that launched in October 2004 and will continue through 2005.
"Women are
important not only because of concerns with their own heart health, but because they are, in a majority of families, the primary decision-maker on health issues. We have put together an advisory board of more
than three-dozen well-known women in Volusia from all walks of life to work with us on a campaign that will extend for a full year and have a specific life-saving goal," said John E. Evans, director of
corporate communications for Halifax Community Health System.
The most recent available statistics show that Volusia County exceeds the average of Florida counties in heart-related deaths. "To
bring the county back to that average means we need to reduce the number of deaths attributed to heart disease by 161, and that has become our goal," said Halifax Heart Center Manager Lori Myers, RN.
The
Halifax Heart Center developed the idea working in partnership with the American Heart Association's "Go Red For Women" campaign to educate Volusia County residents on how to stay heart healthy.
"The Heart Association is well known for its Heart Walks, with many people proud of their role as 'heart walkers.' Our goal is to sign up 5,000 residents to be 'Heart Talkers," said Myers.
To
become a 'Heart Talker,' residents will pledge to take customized educational information sent to them and put it in the hands of 10 area residents - family members, neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc.
Other plans include partnering with at least three of the top restaurants in the county who will begin at the first of the year to feature entrees endorsed by the Halifax Heart Center, and Halifax, in turn, will
offer on its inpatient menus, meals branded with these restaurants.
"If 5,000 'Heart Talkers' sign up, and they reach the intended 10 contacts each, we will have put educational and prevention
materials in the hands of one of every seven individuals over the age of 18 residing in the county before the year is over," said Evans. "We think it is a safe bet that with even this minimal outreach we
will be able to raise awareness and early warnings and interventions to a point that the reduction in deaths of 161 is an attainable goal."
Daytona Beach Mayor Yvonne Scarlett-Golden said, "Along
with the fine ladies who join me as co-chairs of this effort, Im looking forward to helping to shape the materials that the Heart Talkers will be giving to the ten people who they will promise to inform.
Messages need to be based on people who will receive them, and we can make a difference in seeing to it that the sound information from the Halifax Heart Center and the American Heart Association motivates and
stimulates and energizes people in our areas as no effort of this sort ever has before."
"Weve been focused on coming back from the hurricanes, and talking about a healthy economy.
A healthy economy can best be achieved by healthy people, and if well all go forward from here committed to saving not just 161 lives, but every life endangered by heart disease, well be improving the quality of life in ways that dollars cant buy," said Scarlett-Golden.
2004-2005 Women's Leadership Campaign Co-Chairs
|
|
|
Joie Alexander
Dr. Janice Allen-Kelsey
Sherry Burger
Angela Cameron
Marybeth Chvisuk
Vivi Cloar
Marilyn Coble
Kellie Cofer
Janet Connors,RN
Cynthia Coto
Kathy Crotty
Joyce Cusack
Pramila Desai
Jan Edwards
Jill Geddy
Senta Goudy
Peromnia Grant
Nora Hall
Betty Holness
Dr. Carol Ann Kelley
Joan Kelly
|
Dr. Trudie Kibbe-Reed
Margaret Lee
Nancy Lohman
Ann Martorano
Clare Metz
Dr. Wendy Myers
Alma Quinn
Cynthia Ramirez
Connie Ritchey
Maggie Scrabis Sacks
Mayor Yvonne Scarlett-Golden
Deanna Schaeffer
Cynthia Slater
Dr. Margaret A. Smith
Mary Jo Stansfield
Dr. Carol Tanner-St. James
Dr. Andrea Thorpe
Bebe White
|
|
|
|
|
Halifax Medical Center, 303 N. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114
-2002 Halifax Medical Center. All rights reserved.-
This site is best viewed with Internet Explorer 4.01 and later
|
|
