Fredericksburg, Va. -- February is Heart Month, and many people will be thinking about what to get their sweetheart for Valentine’s Day. Although the holiday is usually celebrated with gifts of candy or flowers, good health is one thing that everyone appreciates year-round. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is teaming up with other government and private sector organizations to support the new Million Hearts™ initiative which aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. Million Hearts™ will promote innovations to identify people now at cardiac risk, ensure that they receive appropriate treatment, reduce the need for blood pressure and cholesterol treatment, promote healthy diet and physical activity, and support smoke-free environments to reduce current and future cardiac risk.
“The Rappahannock MRC unit enthusiastically supports Million Hearts™ as a national effort to fight heart disease and stroke,” said Colleen Hopkins, Rappahannock MRC unit leader. “Our MRC unit is promoting the Million Hearts™ initiative by providing free blood pressure screenings, free body mass index screenings, and offering educational materials about healthy behaviors to the less fortunate in our communities. We will also be promoting the Million Hearts™ website and encouraging individual commitments to make heart healthy choices.”
The Rappahannock MRC has nearly 150 volunteers, including medical and public health professionals, as well as non-medical support volunteers. The Rappahannock MRC unit participates in multiple public health activities throughout the year--ranging from flu vaccination clinics to suicide prevention social marketing projects and to disease prevention through programs like the Million Hearts™ and “Let’s Move!” campaigns.
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