Past Programs
Sister to Sister strives to give every woman a fighting chance against heart disease. Our past programs include:
- Annual Women's Heart Health Fairs in select cities that offer free, large-scale cardiac screenings, immediate follow-up counseling, and educational resources.
- Educational executive events for women in leadership roles to help them bring women's heart-health messages back to their communities.
- Our family-friendly bike event, Bike For The Heart, allowed families to exercise together for their hearts.
- The Blood Pressure Express: a mobile community health initiative brought screenings to the Newark, NJ community.
- Global Cardiologist Exchange Program that enables Sister to Sister to share its resources and knowledge about women and heart disease internationally.
- Our Medicare Screening Initiative to Reduce Healthcare Disparities among the underserved communities in Washington DC.
- Holly Heart, the first robot dedicated to raising awareness for heart disease prevention.
- We Can Together! A program to educate mothers and children about physical activity and healthy eating habits.
- Medical, corporate, government, media, and non-profit partnerships that help women to get screened and take action to improve their heart-health.
- Cardiac screenings and other group events.
- Large-scale data collection for women's heart health research.
- sistertosister.org – the premiere online destination for plain-language information about women's heart health, risk assessment and management tools, access to experts, and community support.
Learn more about us:
Annual Women’s Heart Health Fairs
Put simply, Sister to Sister’s annual Women’s Heart Health Fairs save lives. Held each year during the month of February (Heart Health Month), our FREE, fun, one-day fairs offer:
- Heart disease screenings and risk assessments -- in just 15 minutes!
- On-site counseling sessions to create an individualized health-action plan.
- Medical experts taking questions and presenting cutting-edge information.
- Lifestyle pros demonstrating simple cooking, activity, and eating changes that can lower heart disease risk dramatically.
- Raffles, door prizes, massages, and giveaways that add to the fun.
Based on statistics from previous years, four out of 10 women attending our fairs will discover that they have two or more heart disease risk factors. With statistics like that, can you afford not to attend? Even better, bring a few friends!
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| Women take the time to protect themselves from heart disease by getting screened. It's the best 15 minutes you'll ever spend. |
You can learn more about Sister to Sister's presence in the following cities:
Nothing nearby? Contact us and Sister to Sister will be happy to help you locate screenings and educational resources in your area.
Pre-Registration Cities
You have reached the online registration area for the Sister to Sister Women's Heart Health Fairs.
In order to register for a free Heart Health Fair near you, select from one of the cities below:
(There are currently no Heart Health Fairs scheduled.)
Women's Heart Health Fair in Atlanta
For the fifth year in a row, Atlanta women have shown their commitment to heart health by attending our annual Women's Heart Health Fair. Over 1,925 women attended the 2009 fair, held at Americas-Mart-Atlanta on February 7.
What keeps crowds coming to our annual fair?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Interested in attending next year's fair? Contact Lisa Townsends at (888) 718-8033 or email.
Interested in a booth at next year's fair? Contact us for details.
Interested in being a presenter at next year's fair? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Local Media Partners
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Interested in becoming a partner or sponsor? Contact us to explore the possibilities.
We’re always looking to expand our presence. Contact us if you would like to have Sister to Sister host a FREE Women’s Heart Health Event in your city.
Women's Heart Health Fair in Boston
Sister to Sister is proud to have been a part of the Boston community since 2004 by hosting our Women's Heart Health Fairs. In that time, more than 15,000 women have attended our events while over 5,000 women were screened for heart disease risk factors!
What resources did the Women's Heart Health Fairs offer?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offered FREE educational materials that helped you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. They were fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – it took just 15 minutes and looked at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who wanted to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Sister to Sister is currently partnering with Brigham and Women's Hospital to to provide heart-health screenings, events, classes, and more to the Boston area on a year-round basis.
If you are looking for educational events or free cardiovascular screenings in the Boston community, please see the calendar of events from Brigham and Women's Hospital or feel free to contact Sister to Sister.
The Sister to Sister FREE health screenings were made possible by support from our local hospital partner:
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Women's Heart Health Fair in Chicago
We had another successful Women's Heart Health Fair in Chicago on May 14 at the Merchandise Mart!
What keeps crowds coming to our annual Women's Heart Health Fairs?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Have any questions? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Sponsors
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Local Medical Partners
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Local Media Partners
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Women's Heart Health Fair in Dallas
For the 5th year in a row, Dallas women have shown their committment to heart health by attending our Annual Women's Heart Health Fair. We had a fabulous turn out of 2,900 attendees at the Automobile Building in Fair Park.
We had four stages filled with events and demonstrations: Healthy Lifestyles Stage, the Fitness Stage, the Stress Stage and the Univision Stage.
What keeps crowds coming to our annual Women's Heart Health Fairs?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Have any questions? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Local Media Partners
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Women's Heart Health Fair in Detroit
Every woman has the power to have a healthy heart. At Sister to Sister’s free annual Women’s Heart Health Fair you’ll learn how to use it.
We had another successful Women's Heart Health Fair in Detroit on Friday, April 24 at the GM Wintergarden.
What keeps crowds coming to our annual Women's Heart Health Fairs?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Have any questions? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Media Partners
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Women's Heart Health Fair in Jacksonville
For the fourth year in a row, Jacksonville women have shown their commitment to heart health by attending our annual Women's Heart Health Fair. Over 4,400 women attended the 2009 fair, held at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center on January 31.
What keeps crowds coming to our annual fair?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Have any questions? Contact us to discuss.
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Local Media Partners
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Women's Heart Health Fair in Los Angeles
We had another successful Women's Heart Health Fair in LA on May 7 at Century Park! Please check back here for pictures from this free and fun event!
What keeps crowds coming to our annual Women's Heart Health Fairs?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Have any questions? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Women's Heart Health Fair in St. Louis
For the fifth year in a row, St. Louis women have shown their commitment to heart health by attending our annual Women's Heart Health Fair. Over 4,100 women attended the 2009 fair, held at the West County Center Mall on February 6 and 7, 2009.
Our First Fair in Washington, MO:
Sister to Sister's first annual free Women's Heart Health Fair was held on February 28, 2009 at St. John's Mercy Hospital in Washington, MO. Check back for photos from this year's event in the coming weeks!
For Washington, MO Health Fair info contact Jennifer Eise at: jennifer.eise@mercy.net or call 636-239-8881.
What keeps crowds coming to our annual fair?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Interested in attending next year's fair? Contact local campaign manager Mark Gorski at (314) 599-3040 or mark.gorski@sbcglobal.net.
Interested in a booth at next year's fair? Contact us for details.
Interested in being a presenter at next year's fair? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Local Media Partners
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Interested in becoming a partner or sponsor? Contact us to explore the possibilities.
We’re always looking to expand our presence. Contact us if you would like to have Sister to Sister host a FREE Women’s Heart Health Event in your city.
Women's Heart Health Fair in Tampa
For the second year in a row, Tampa women have shown their commitment to heart health by attending our Women's Heart Health Fair. Over 2,100 women attended the 2009 fair, held at the Tampa Convention Center on March 20.
What keeps crowds coming to our annual Women's Heart Health Fairs?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Interested in attending next year's fair? Contact Lisa Townsend at (888) 718-8033 or email.
Interested in a booth at next year's fair? Contact us for details.
Interested in being a presenter at next year's fair? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Local Media Partners
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Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact us to explore the possibilities.
We’re always looking to expand our presence. Contact us if you would like to have Sister to Sister host a FREE Women’s Heart Health Event in your city.
Women's Heart Health Fair in Washington, D.C.
For the ninth year in a row, Washington, D.C., women have shown their commitment to heart health by attending our annual Women's Heart Health Fair. Over 4,775 women attended the 2009 fair, held at the Verizon Center on February 6.
What keeps crowds coming to our annual fair?
- Life-saving information – dozens of women’s health exhibitors offering FREE educational materials that help you get smart about your heart.
- Expert demonstrations – of heart-healthy cooking, fitness, nutrition, and other strategies. Fun to watch and inspiring to try for yourself at home!
- FREE heart disease screening – takes just 15 minutes and looks at cholesterol and triglycerides, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, and family health history.
- One-on-one counseling session – to go over your screening results and formulate a personalized heart health plan.
- Access to local medical experts – who want to hear your questions and concerns about heart disease.
- Fun and prizes – massages, spa treatments, chocolate, raffles, and other giveaways.
Have any questions? Contact us to discuss.
This FREE health event is made possible by support from our partners and sponsors:
Local Medical Partners and Sponsors
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Local Media Partners
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Washington, D.C. Heart Health Fair
~ RAFFLE PRIZES WILL BE GIVEN AWAY AFTER EACH PRESENTATION ~
8:00 am – Doors Open – Registration Begins
All Exhibits, Demonstration Areas, free makeovers, free massages, and FREE Heart Screenings open and running continuously throughout the Fair.
8:15 am – “Shopping Healthy on a Budget”
Presented by Carlos Arias, Leader
Weight Watchers
Ventricle Stage
8:30 am – “What’s Going to Work For Me: Weight Management and Exercise”
Presented by Yummy Tyler, Fitness Coordinator
Washington Seniors Wellness Center
Aorta Stage
8:30 am – BODYFLOW Fitness Demonstration
Presented by Gold's Gym GGX Team
Atrium Pavilion
8:45 am – Fennel, Blood Orange and Arugula Salad Cooking Demonstration
Presented by Carla Hall, Chef, Alchemy Caterers & Top Chef Season Five Contestant
Ventricle Stage
9:00 am – “Steps To a Healthier You: Focusing on Nutrition and Diabetes”
Presented by Natalie Webb, Associate Professor
Prince George’s Community College
Aorta Stage
9:15 am – BODYJAM Fitness Demonstration
Presented by Gold's Gym GGX Team
Atrium Pavilion
9:15 am – “Incorporating Superfoods Into Your Diet”
Presented by Jami Bailey, Leader
Weight Watchers
Ventricle Stage
9:30 am – “The Heart of Relaxation”
Presented by Phronie Jackson, Owner
Relaxation OnSite
Aorta Stage
10:00 am – Beet, Leek, Avocado, and Chevre Salad with Shallot/Tarragon Vinaigrette Cooking Demonstration
Presented by Susan Holt, Chef
CulinAerie
Ventricle Stage
10:00 am – BODYATTACK Fitness Demonstration
Presented by Gold's Gym GGX Team
Atrium Pavilion
10:15 am – “Quitting Smoking: What African American Women Should Know”
Presented by Dr. Carla Williams, Professor of Medicine
Howard University
Aorta Stage
10:45 AM – “The Everyday Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest”
Presented by Dr. Sean C. Beinart, Cardiologist
Shady Grove Adventist & Washington Adventist Hospitals
Aorta Stage
10:45 am – Lentil Salad with Green Tea Smoked Trout
Cooking Demonstration
Presented by Janis McLean, Chef
15ria
Ventricle Stage
11:00 am – BODYFLOW Fitness Demonstration
Presented by Gold's Gym GGX Team
Atrium Pavilion
11:15 pm – “Protect Yourself: Stress and the Heart”
Presented by Breyuna Williams
Miss Black District of Columbia U.S.A. 2009
Aorta Stage
11:30 am – MID-DAY CEREMONY
Aorta Stage
12:15 pm – “Shopping Healthy on a Budget”
Presented by Carlos Arias, Leader
Weight Watchers
Ventricle Stage
12:30 pm – “Stress and Your Heart: How Breathing Right Can Help Calm Both”
Presented by Cathy Runnels, Speech-Language Pathologist
(Accent On Speech, LLC) and Dr. Esther Sternberg, NIH
Aorta Stage
12:45 pm – BODYCOMBAT Fitness Demonstration
Presented by Gold's Gym GGX Team
Atrium Pavilion
1:00 pm – “Empowering Women: Supporting Ourselves and Our Sisters”
Presented by Angela Taylor, General Manager
Washington Mystics
Aorta Stage
1:00 pm – “Heart Healthy Nutrition”
Presented by Katharine Tallmadge, Author, Counselor and Speaker, Founder of “Personalized Nutrition” and National Spokesperson for American Dietetic Association
Ventricle Stage
1:15 pm – “Boosting the Metabolism”
Presented by Yusef Battle, Clinical Exercise Physiologist
The Fit Solutions
Ventricle Stage
Line for Screening areas closed - all participants in line will be screened.
1:30 pm – “A Working Woman's Healthy Meal Plan”
Presented by LaVonda Lyons, Leader
Weight Watchers
Aorta Stage
2:00 pm – Exhibits/Demonstrations Conclude
Thanks for Attending… See you in 2010!
Executive Women's Events
Let’s face it: We women are our own best advocates. We’re natural-born problem-solvers who feel a duty to share the wisdom of our life experiences with others. Women can move mountains…if we know which mountains to move.
At our Executive Women’s events, held in cities nationwide, Sister to Sister helps women in leadership roles recognize that heart disease is a life-or-death issue for women that they can help resolve.
These events served as the kick-off to our National Women’s Healthy Heart Campaign. Its goal was to reach women who are senior level executives, elected officials, and leaders in the community in order to encourage the women to promote the Health Fair to their employees, colleagues, family, and friends.
The attendees participated in free cardiovascular screenings with immediate results and personalized counseling sessions to demonstrate how and why screening interventions work to save lives. The screenings were graciously donated by our hospital partner, Adventist Healthcare.
Guests were treated to heart-healthy meals from local restaurants, a program of speakers from leading cardiologists and specialists in the field of heart health, information about heart disease awareness and prevention and exciting raffles and fun take home keepsakes.
Bike For The Heart
Thanks for Making Our 2009 Event a Huge Success
Together We Raised Over $300,000
For a few magical hours on Sunday, October 11, Sister to Sister: The Women's Heart Health Foundation took over Washington, DC's famous Pennsylvania Avenue to give families the ride of a lifetime down America's Main Street. Over 1,000 people turned out for this chance to get together with loved ones and get moving to lower their risk of heart disease in a memorable, meaningful way.
Perfect fall weather provided a glorious backdrop to our many celebrity-studded activities. Headliners included Washington Wizards' basketball star Caron Butler and DC's own Mayor Adrian Fenty, who rode in our Heart of the Nation Time Trial -- a race that boasted many award winning cyclists, including international phenom Evelyn Stevens. Inside the Verizon Center, radio personality Chilli Amar led hundreds of spinners in a center court session, while outside on Abe Pollin Way the world-famous clowns of Ringling Bros. and& Bailey® treated children of all ages to a big-top style spectacle of spellbinding comedy. Clown college, tricycle races, and red-rubber noses for every participant just added to the fun! So did an endless stream of prizes, donated by a host of generous sponsors and supporters. 
Every dollar raised through Bike For The Heart goes directly to fund Sister to Sister's heart screenings and other programs to identify women at risk and reverse the effects of heart disease – the #1 cause of death in women. Special thanks goes to Greg Pellegrino, our #1 fundraiser, and Irene Pollin, Sister to Sister's founder and the visionary behind Bike For The Heart – an event that will now become a Sister to Sister tradition.
View more photos from 2009 BIKE FOR THE HEART!
It's not too late to get involved in this good cause:
Make a donation to Sister to Sister
Learn more about heart disease
Find out how to live a heart healthy lifestyle
Thank you to our generous sponsors who have made a commitment to support Sister to Sister's BIKE FOR THE HEART:
As presented by
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Thank you to our Media & Entertainment Sponsors:
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Circus Fun
The world-famous clowns of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® treated children of all ages to a big-top style spectacle of spellbinding comedy. Clown college, tricycle races, and red-rubber noses for every participant just added to the fun!
Moroccan Acrobats from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® demonstrated amazing skills of flexibility, agility, and fearlessness!
Participants were able to warm-up their muscles with the CircusFit ® clowns from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®. CircusFit® is a national youth fitness program from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® that encourages America's youth to lead healthy, active lifestyles by combining the fun of circus skills with stretching, strength building and aerobic exercise.
Check out exciting video from the BIKE FOR THE HEART event!
Headliners
Headliners included Washington Wizards' basketball star Caron Butler and DC's own Mayor Adrian Fenty. Mayor Fenty rode in our Heart of the Nation Time Trial, a race that boasted many award winning cyclists, including international phenom Evelyn Stevens. Inside the Verizon Center, MIX 107.3 radio personality Chilli Amar led hundreds of spinners in a center court session.
Time Trial Results
Congratulations to Ken Young who won the Heart-of-the Nation Time Trial in 8 minutes 13 seconds!
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Time Trial Results:
Place | Last Name | First Name | Total Time |
1 | YOUNG | Ken | 08:13.7 |
2 | MEIDHOF | Jason | 08:27.3 |
3 | FENTY | Shawn | 09:14.8 |
4 | PELLEGRINO | Greg | 09:24.3 |
5 | STEVENS | Evelyn | 09:27.4 |
6 | SILLIMAN | Erin | 09:41.5 |
7 | FENTY (MAYOR) | Adrian | 09:50.8 |
8 | MCREYNOLDS | Brennan | 10:02.1 |
9 | WATSON | Amanda | 10:18.3 |
10 | HENNESSEY | Brian | 10:35.8 |
11 | SLAVIN | Viacheslav | 10:39.8 |
12 | MOORE | Matthew | 10:40.6 |
13 | LOWE | John | 10:51.0 |
14 | HANSEN | Karen | 10:53.5 |
15 | FENWICK | Adele | 10:56.0 |
16 | HOCHNER | Itai | 11:34.2 |
17 | WALSH | Redmond | 11:37.1 |
18 | ZELENAK | Fran | 12:01.4 |
19 | WYATT | Adam | 12:05.6 |
20 | HAMMOND | John | 12:07.3 |
21 | HONG | Michael | 12:15.0 |
22 | MONARCH | Jeff | 12:47.0 |
23 | JOHNSON | Catherine | 14:07.3 |
24 | SMITH | Karl | 16:36.6 |
Blood Pressure Express
Sister to Sister, in partnership with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, launched the Blood Pressure Express, a mobile community health initiative designed to bring heart health awareness to Newark, NJ residents.
A kickoff event was held on March 4, 2008 with the New Jersey Commissioner for Health and Senior Services and Sister to Sister.
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| Darryl Dawkins, former NBA star and Community Relations Ambassador for the New Jersey Nets, and Kevin Rigby, VP of Public Affairs for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, show support for the BP Express. |
The program featured the BP Express Van, a mobile unit staffed by nurses who provided free blood pressure screenings and distributed educational materials to thousands of Newark residents from March to September 2008.
The BP Express Van made visits to locations throughout the city, including:
- Churches
- Community centers
- Government buildings
- City parks
- Fire stations
- Companies
- Shopping centers
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among Americans. In Newark, 21% of city residents are living with cardiovascular disease.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart disease. It is often called the silent killer because high blood pressure has no symptoms but can lead to serious illness, including stroke, heart attack, eye and kidney problems, and even death. Click here to learn more about preventing and controlling high blood pressure.
Cardiologist Exchange Program
The epidemic of cardiovascular disease in developing nations is growing at an alarming rate. China’s major health threats are chronic diseases, now accounting for more than three-quarters of all deaths. Specifically, cardiovascular diseases are currently the leading cause of death in China, responsible for 2.6 million deaths annually. By 2020, this figure is projected to increase to 4 million deaths per year. The World Health Organization has estimated that the total cost of cardiovascular disease in China in 2005 was US $250 billion with projections for an increase to US $460 billion by 2015.
Still, the vast majority of cases are caused by a small number of known and preventable risk factors. Three of the most important risk factors are an unhealthy diet (processed foods that are high in fat and sodium), increased tobacco use, and, in places such as China, a significant move from rural areas to urban centers that has resulted in a more sedentary lifestyle and poor air quality. Fortunately, up to 80 percent of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease can be averted with known behavioral and pharmaceutical interventions.
Sister to Sister’s Global Cardiologist Exchange Program aims to increase international collaboration by establishing various networking opportunities during the foreign physicians’ visits that can be cultivated and continued once they return home.
In February 2010, through a grant from the American Women of International Understanding, two Chinese female cardiologists will spend two weeks in the United States participating in the program. This initiative provides international physicians with the opportunity to learn from top cardiologists and gain access to our country’s premier heart research centers.
In the United States, Sister to Sister has reached over 200,000 women with our heart health education and awareness efforts. Now we strive to help women around the world.
For more information, contact Dr. Lotti Letanoczky, VP of International Programs at 301-718-8033 or via email.
Medicare Screening Initiative to Reduce Healthcare Disparities
A pilot program to reduce healthcare disparities for underserved Medicare beneficiaries and increase the usage of preventive services was developed in partnership with Abbott and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
They were attracted to Sister to Sister’s grassroots approach to screening women across the country, and approached STS to develop a pilot program that would increase the utilization of Medicare’s preventive services by 4%.
The populations that were targeted included Hispanics and African-Americans in the lower income bracket, as studies have shown they are the least likely to be aware of and utilize Medicare’s preventive services. The pilot program was developed for the residents of the District of Columbia, and ran in the summer of 2008.
Sister to Sister developed a program in which no-cost cardiovascular screenings with immediate results and counseling sessions were provided for Medicare-only eligible seniors in the communities where they live and congregate. We provided questionnaires to help understand the barriers of access to care, such as transportation, cost, awareness of services, medical literacy and cultural issues.
After the participants were screened and received personalized counseling sessions, they were provided with educational information on Medicare’s services and the opportunity to make follow-up doctor appointments on the spot. Sister to Sister also offered additional support, including transportation to their follow-up visits.
By providing immediate appointment times and transportation to their visits, the intention was to increase participant utilization of Medicare’s services, where they would be monitored.
For the participants who agreed to follow-up phone calls from medical professionals, Sister to Sister was able to track the length of time between follow-up visits, services that were provided, and if they made additional appointments.
Sister to Sister received incredible support from a variety of community partners on this program, including the Office on Latino Affairs, the Office on Aging, Department on Public Health, Office on Women’s Policy and the Greater Washington Urban League. Numerous clinics were contacted to provide additional appointment times and geriatric social workers were able to assist at the screening events.
Dr. Edward J. Roccella, Former Coordinator of the High Blood Pressure Education Program at the National Institutes of Health, and Sister to Sister Board Member, will be making a presentation at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting in October 2011.
Holly Heart Robot
Thanks to a little technology and a lot of heart, Holly Heart has been the official spokesrobot for the Sister to Sister Foundation since 2001. In fact, she is the only spokesrobot for a non-profit health organization, and has always been quite ahead of her time!
Commissioned by Mrs. Irene Pollin, founder of Sister to Sister, Holly loves to talk with women to raise awareness of heart disease, and to educate about the lifestyle changes that can lower ones risk of heart disease. And she is always quick to point out that getting screened is the ONLY way to know your personal risk for heart disease!
Holly is quite knowledgeable about heart disease, and is extremely engaging and approachable. Holly has made an appearance on The Today Show with Katie Couric, served as an advocate for heart disease awareness on Capitol Hill, entertained Washington Wizards fans during their half-time show and has mingled with the crowds at Sister to Sister's Heart Health Fairs across the country.
And if that’s not enough, Holly also entertains! She particularly likes to sing her own version of “If I Only Had a Heart” from The Wizard of Oz. Do you know any other robots that can do that?
Holly will be taking up residence at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, where she will continue to educate and entertain people as she shares her messages of heart health awareness and education.
If you would like more information about Holly Heart, please do not hesitate to contact Sister to Sister.
YouTube Videos
Take a look at our YouTube Videos featuring Holly Heart! Click the thumbnail to view the video.
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Holly Heart on the Today Show in 2003. She was a robot that was used as a spokes robot for Women’s Heart Day. |
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News Channel 8 broadcast from the Verizon Center in 2003 and Holly Heart speaks on how important it is to be screened. |
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CBS 46 news talking to Holly Heart, the Sister to Sister spokes-robot. 2002. |
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Holly Heart is the spokes-robot for Sister to Sister. She is a fully functioning robot that is used to create awareness around heart disease. She was used at different heart fairs and other events. |
We Can Together!
We Can Together!, a grassroots educational campaign held in Washington DC, was designed in 2006 to encourage families to make lifestyle changes to help prevent obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Partners in the campaign included the DC Mayor’s Office, NHLBI, the Boys and Girls Club and the Washington Wizards basketball team. The program, initially developed by the NHLBI, was provided to African-American and Hispanic families.