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CCMH Recognizes American Heart Month

February 11, 2021

Carroll County Memorial Hospital staff celebrated Go Red for Women Friday, February 5. From bottom left, clockwise, Jeanie Brown, Misty Kemble-Williams, Amy Ireland, Tatum Laire, Kyle Watts, Melissa Cline, Kelsey Lyon, Joyce Houston and Candy Hart. (Rachel Harper/CCMH)

CARROLLTON, Mo. – Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. It is also the most treatable. To prevent heart disease and increase awareness of its effects, Carroll County Memorial Hospital is proudly participating in American Heart Month.

CCMH kicked the month off by decking the hospital out in RED inside the building and on their digital platforms.

CCMH employees had the opportunity to wear RED in support of National Go Red for Women Day Friday, Feb.5. Donations collected will be donated to the CCMH Foundation, directed towards the needs of CCMH Cardiac Rehabilitation.

“One in three women die from cardiovascular disease,” said Sandy Berghager, CCMH Director of Cardiopulmonary and Rehab Services. “According to the American Heart Association's newly released 2021 statistics, this makes it the leading killer of women in the United States. Heart disease kills one woman approximately every 80 seconds, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined, and cardiac events are on the rise in young women in their 20s.”

Employees will continue to have opportunities to wear red and support Cardiac Rehabilitation at CCMH every Friday in February.

President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first American Heart Month proclamation in 1964 and since then, U.S. presidents have annually declared February American Heart Month. In its 57th year of recognition, the importance of heart disease awareness and the fact that, in most cases, it is preventable and still very prominent to this day.

“Heart disease is preventable when people adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, treating high blood pressure, getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week and getting regular checkups,” Berghager said.

Eating right and reducing stress are other important ways to keep your heart healthy. CCMH is addressing this by offering a heart healthy lunch dining option for staff Friday, February 12, at 4 Corners Cafe. They offered a heart healthy breakfast on Friday, February 5. Employees will also receive several heart healthy snacks throughout the month and have the opportunity to try out some free fitness apps recommended by CCMH’s Wellness Committee.

CCMH offers a 36-session, 3-month Cardiac Rehabilitation program – a supervised exercise program to help people recover from heart attacks, heart surgery, and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) stenting and angioplasty.

As CCMH’s Mission states, “CCMH is dedicated to the health and well-being of all we serve.”

“You can make healthy changes to lower your risk of developing heart disease,” Berghager said. “Controlling and preventing risk factors is also important for people who already have heart disease. To lower your risk: watch your weight; quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke; Control your cholesterol and blood pressure; If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation; and get active and eat healthy.”

For more information about the services at Carroll County Memorial Hospital, visit our website http://www.carrollcountyhospital.org or call 660-542-1695.

Carroll County Memorial Hospital (CCMH), the area’s premier healthcare resource, is a 25-bed Critical Access facility serving Carrollton and the surrounding communities. It offers 24-hour emergency care, specialized services such as advanced diagnostics, post-acute skilled care (swing bed) and comprehensive family care. CCMH is dedicated to the Health and Well Being of All We Serve. For more information, visit carrollcountyhospital.org.