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EVENT INFORMATION
Health Awareness Sunday Cardiometabolic Disease Gets Put On Front Burner at Women's Health Workshop The African-American Health Education Initiative™ Hosts A FREE Health Education and Screening Workshop for Women
"There are thousands of Chicago residents walking around with a silent killer and they don’t know it” states Suzanne Stantley, Founder and CEO of Black Expo Community Development Association, Inc. the creator of the African-American Health Education Initiative (AAHEI). While the name Cardiometabolic disease is unknown to most, the diseases that make it deadly aren’t. Hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity all individually plague the African-American community and combined they are like a lethal weapon. The presence of two or more of these worsens an individual’s risk for heart attack and stroke. And, there are simply far too many who have no idea just how much at risk they are. We hear a great deal about HIV and cancer, but Heart Attacks are the #1 killer of African-American women TODAY!!
So on Sunday, October 3, 2010, AAHEI will host a FREE Cardiometabolic Disease Workshop “An Education and Screening Program to Assess African-American Women’s Risks for Heart Attack and Stroke” to put a face on this disease and provide strategies that can help African-American women live healthier lives. The event will be held at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, 2622 W. Jackson, where the Rev. Dr. Johnny Miller is the pastor. The program will run from 8:00am-1:30pm. Mt. Vernon has deemed this "Health Awareness Sunday". “We have an outstanding group of African-American female physicians from a cross section of disciplines who will arm women with knowledge about the diseases that lead to Cardiometabolic disease which can lead to heart attack and stroke as well as the role that obesity and menopause play. This information may be just what a woman needs to not only improve her health but extend her life”. Presenting at the workshop is Dr. Nicole Williams, an OB/GYN specialist from Mercy Hospital”, states Stantley. Once they are equipped with health information, we will arm our guests with alternative ways to prepare their favorite foods healthily as Chef Eric Paul owner of Alter Eatgo discusses healthy eating to reduce stroke and heart attack.
Recent numbers indicate that 22% or 50 million adults in the U. S. have Cardiometabolic disease (CMD). Forty-nine percent of African-American women have cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is one of the most serious complications of type 2 diabetes, and is attributed to 80% of diabetes related deaths.
The higher mortality rates of heart disease in African-American women seems to be the result of a higher proportion of African-American women exhibiting the risk factors for increased mortality-cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, inadequate physical activity, and obesity.
“One hundred women will be screened to determine if they have the risk factors that lead to Cardiometabolic disease. While most of the slots are taken for the screening (only a few remain), we still have space for the education portion of our conference”, states Stantley. So we invite women to visit our website at www.blackexpocommdev.org to register. Because Space is limited everyone whose registration is accepted will be notified by email or telephone.
This conference is made possible by a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health with support by Astra Zeneca. “We are extremely grateful to have received this grant which allows us to bring this important information to African-American women. We are extremely dedicated to our work to educate African-Americans about diseases that are shortening their lives and continue to seek funds that will allow us to do so”, states Stantley.
Black Expo Community Development Association has been engaged in providing information, education, and training to groups at greatest risk and most in need since its inception in 1990. “We begin each year knowing that we have a real battle ahead of us…a battle complicated by the lack of resources to wage an effective war. If we know nothing else, it takes money to fight any war and there is a huge need to wage a war against cardiovascular disease,” states Stantley. “It is our hope that this information reaches as many individuals as possible who determine where and how government and foundation funds get dispensed in order that the severity of this disease gets the attention it deserves.”
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