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Media Contacts

Debbie Sibbitt
Hoosiers for Higher Education
dsibbitt@indiana.edu
812-855-0921

Jill Burleson
Office of Indiana's First Lady
jburleson@gov.in.gov
317-931-3076

Tami Davis
Office of the IU President
tddavis@indiana.edu
812-855-5867

Last modified: Monday, October 1, 2007

First Ladies team up to raise awareness of women's heart health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 1, 2007

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The college years are a time of discovery and growth -- and often a sense of youthful invincibility. Cheri Daniels, first lady of Indiana, and Indiana University first lady Laurie Burns McRobbie say they also are the perfect time for women to start thinking more seriously about their cardiovascular health.

"Heart disease takes too many precious lives each year. It's up to us to tell the women we love about heart disease and encourage them to live heart healthy lifestyles," Daniels said.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in Indiana and the nation -- killing more people than all cancers combined. The disease also kills more women than men each year. Fortunately, says McRobbie, heart disease is "almost completely preventable with simple lifestyle changes."

On Oct. 4, Daniels is bringing her "Heart to Heart" program to IU Bloomington, where she and McRobbie will encourage students, faculty and the general public to adopt lifestyle changes that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.

The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Indiana Memorial Union's Alumni Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Beginning at 4:30 p.m., the event will feature exhibits and free healthy heart screenings.

Laurie Burns McRobbie

Laurie Burns McRobbie

Print-Quality Photo

In addition to comments from Daniels and McRobbie, the program will include information about how to live a heart healthy lifestyle, presented by nurse practitioner Cindy Adams, director of the Healthy Hearts Center at the Indiana Heart Hospital. Jeanne Johnston, an exercise physiologist in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, will discuss her research involving young women and heart disease.

University and community health staff will perform such screenings as blood pressure and heart rate measures and will hand out pedometers. Visitors also can have carbon dioxide and waist girth measures as well as a body composition analysis. Exhibits and screenings will involve Bloomington Hospital, the Monroe County YMCA, IU Health Center, HPER's Division of Campus Recreational Sports, and Monroe County Tobacco and Cessation Affiliate.

The "Heart to Heart" program is sponsored by the Office of Indiana's First Lady and the Indiana State Department of Health's Office of Women's Health. McRobbie is co-hosting the IUB event on behalf of IU.

For more information about the event at IUB, contact Debbie Sibbitt at 812-855-0921 or dsibbitt@indiana.edu. To speak with Daniels, contact Jill Burleson at 317-931-3076 or jburleson@gov.in.gov. To speak with McRobbie, contact Tami Davis at 812-855-5867 and tddavis@indiana.edu.