St. Johns Celebrates National Heart Month
Feb. 6, 2006

St. John’s Heart Institute is celebrating National Heart Month by offering a variety of activities throughout the month of February to provide information on the risk factors and the prevention of heart disease.

A $30 cardiovascular health assessment will be offered, throughout the month, at St. John’s Hammons Heart Institute, St. John’s Clinic-Nixa, 940 W. Mt. Vernon and St. Johns Corporate Health and Wellness-Springfield, 1630 E. Bradford Parkway, Suite B. Exams include a cholesterol check, Peripheral Vascular Disease screening (Ankle Brachial Index) and Stroke screening.  Appointments are required. Call 888-8888 or 1-800-909-8326

A $15 pocket EKG wallet card, which provides a baseline for physicians in the event of a cardiac emergency, will be available at all cardiovascular health assessments.  Appointments are required. Call 888-8888 or 1-800-909-8326

Free quit smoking consults will be offered throughout the month of February at St. Johns Hammons Heart Institute, 1235 E. Cherokee.  Appointments are required. Call 888-8888 or 

1-800-909-8326

On Feb. 7, the 16^th Annual King and Queen of Hearts Celebration will be held in the multipurpose room inside St. John’s Hammons Heart Institute.  The annual ceremony recognizes the cardiac patient and his or her support person who has made the most significant lifestyle changes following a cardiac event.  A reception and program for candidates, their families and cardiac rehab staff begins at 5p.m.

On Feb.18 the 5K Valentine Run benefiting patients and programs of St. John’s Heart Institute will be held at the Springfield Underground.  St. John’s Foundation for community Health, Springfield Underground and Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners organize the race, which makes two loops of the roadways.  Registration is already full, but media is invited to attend.  Please contact John Griesemer at 417-874-1400 for details.

On Feb. 21, couples are invited to “Matters of the Heart”.  This special women’s health forum is open to the public and will combine a little romance with a lot of heart healthy information and activities, such as cooking demonstrations, couples yoga, ballroom dancing, chair massages and personal heart consults.  The evening also includes a heart healthy dinner and St. Johns physicians speaking about heart health.  The event begins 6 p.m. in the Hammons Heart Institute Auditorium, 1235 E. Cherokee.

On Feb. 28, Heart Healthy Living will be offered from 2-4p.m. at the St. John’s Clinic-Nixa.  The program includes: a healthy heart program, reflexology and personal heart consults.  St. John’s Chef Michael Bay will be on hand cooking heart healthy food.

For media  information, please contact St. John’s Media Relations at 417-820-2426.