AHA “Have Faith in Heart” hosts inaugural program

DENMARK, Tenn.– Valentine’s Day may have come and gone, but Sunday afternoon, members of the local community focused on matters of the heart.

“We lose one woman every minute of every day,” Christy Futrell with the American Heart Association said Sunday afternoon at the first annual “Have Faith in Heart Program” at Denmark Missionary Baptist Church.

“Just looking at African American Women alone, 48% of African American women have cardiovascular disease but only 14% of African American women think that’s their greatest health risk,” she said.

Different speakers educated church members about heart disease in women and men.

“I had 3 heart attacks, started when I was 30, I’m 35 now,” church member Marco Standifer said. He has also had multiple other heart surgeries, including one just last month. “hey can understand you know, what I have gone through and what other people done been through and how to prevent it from happening to themselves.”

Sunday afternoon at the Have Faith in Heart program they were offering free blood pressure testing and risk assessments so people can learn how to help prevent heart disease.

“Knowing your numbers and knowing what to do to to learn about your risk factors for heart disease because 80% of heart disease is preventable,” Emily Garner with the West Tennessee Heart and Vascular Center said.

“I hope it will bring more awareness to them and they be more conscious of their heart issues and our eating style lifestyles and just being more aware of our health in general,” Carolyn Fuller with the church said.