Submitted by Yolanda Fleming
Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth recently partnered with Lord &Taylor to present “Going Red for Women,” a program that has become part of a national movement launched by the American Heart Association (AHA) designed to raise awareness about the risk factors surrounding heart disease.
About 40 women pre-registered and participated in the “Going Red” fashion show, make-up consultations, raffle, and complimentary refreshments.
Nancy DiLiegro, PhD, FACHE, Chief Clinical Officer/Vice President of Clinical Operations and Physician Services, was also proud to note that Trinitas has participated in these events since the program’s inception in 2004.
“It is important for women to be called to action to make lifestyle changes and increase their awareness of heart healthy practices such as diet, exercise, and knowing their risk factors,” says Dr. DiLiegro, a member of the Northern NJ AHA as well as a member of the Founders Affiliate AHA Board for eight states, and a past chair of the AHA Northern NJ board, urged attendees to, “Put yourself first, slow down and take needless stress out of your life. You can’t take care of anyone else if you don’t first take care of yourself.”
Dr. Mirette Habib, interventional cardiologist at Trinitas, delivered the educational portion of the event.
Among the list of risk factors surrounding heart disease, Dr. Habib cited age as number one. “Estrogen protects the heart until we hit age 55, when screening for heart disease risk factors is important. Number two is family history; genetics puts us at risk, despite caution and risk factor control.”
While number three is tobacco use and number four is obesity, Dr. Habib warned that diabetics should pay particularly close attention to the early signs. “Diabetes, by definition, is a cardiac equivalent,” she said. “It’s as if you already have coronary artery disease. If you have diabetes, symptoms of heart disease are less obvious and harder to diagnose.”
“Lord & Taylor is proud to support Trinitas in their ‘Going Red for Women’ event,” said Jen Lane, event coordinator at Lord & Taylor.
Jill Peller, Area Sales Manager, who also helped make the event a success, said, “It was great to see so many women ‘Going Red’ for such an important cause.”
(above, l-r) Roselena Twyne, Dr. Nancy DiLiegro, Kathleen Azzarello, Yolanda Fleming, Ivy Cabrera, Marie Dudek, RT, Ann-Marie Scanlon, RN, Amparo Aguirre, and Judy Comitto.
(above) Dr. Mirette Habib speaks to participants of “Going Red” at Lord & Taylor, Westfield, New Jersey.
