Dancing for heart health Bassett employees create dance video in support of heart disease awareness

Date:February 3, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Further Information Contact:

• Karen Huxtable
  (607) 547-4581
  karen.huxtable@bassett.org
• Diane L. Wells
  (607) 547-6354
  diane.wells@bassett.org

Cooperstown, N.Y. – Employees of Bassett Medical Center and some of Bassett's regional health centers recently donned the color red, put on their dancing shoes and had a little fun in support of raising awareness of heart disease in women and becoming heart healthy. The resulting video will be shown on National Wear Red Day, Friday, February 5 at Bassett Medical Center and video conferenced to Bassett’s 26 health centers in an eight county region.

Chief Operating Officer Bertine McKenna, Ph.D., says, "The video, done to the song "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" by Mary Mary, represents the collective strength of Bassett’s employees to take on a serious cause in a very positive and fun way. We are committed to helping our employees improve their health, and highlighting women’s risk for heart disease is part of that effort."

In addition to the video, blood pressure and body mass index screenings will be offered to employees, along with chair massage and meditation sessions at Bassett Medical Center. For the past six years, Bassett has participated in National Wear Red Day by holding its own event each February for staff. McKenna says, "Our goal has been to provide employees with the tools and information they need to lead heart healthy lifestyles."

Here’s a look back at each of the events held on National Wear Red Day at Bassett beginning in 2005 through 2009:

• 2005 An educational symposium on women and heart health by Bassett physicians for employees with a heart healthy lunch by Bassett chef Brian Wrubleski;
• 2006 An Emergency Department physician shared the story of her own heart attack, followed by presentations on exercise, body mass index and cooking heart healthy;
• 2007 Chief of Cardiology Dr. Patrick McNulty and Tom Hohensee from HealthWorks provided information for employees on heart disease in women and heart disease prevention;
• 2008 In movie theatre style, complete with popcorn, a red carpet and three showings, employees watched a video that told the story of a Bassett employee who underwent heart bypass the year before;
• 2009 Bassett employees got up and moving with interactive presentations on dance and yoga. Employees also learned about the impact of stress on the body.

In addition, for the general public during American Heart Month, Bassett will be offering free cholesterol screenings February 25 from 4 - 8 p.m. in the center court area of Sangertown Square Mall in New Hartford. The screenings will be offered on a first come first serve basis.