Hats for infants, events raise awareness of heart health
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – February is American Heart Month and the goal is to bring awareness to heart health. The American Heart Association is doing a lot to bring attention to the issue of heart health.
Hundreds of volunteers knitted tiny red hats for babies in hospitals across the state and the country. The little hats are given to newborns and their parents to bring awareness of the importance of heart health right from the start.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US. According to the American Heart Association, 80 percent of the disease is preventable. If you stick to things like diet and exercise while watching blood pressure and avoiding smoking, you should reduce your risks.
At Franciscan Health, nurses handed those hats out to some of the babies in their neonatal intensive care unit. The purpose was not lost on Elizabeth Duffy, the mother of two newborn twins.
“It’s a great way to just promote heart-healthy living, not just for the babies, but for the whole family,” said Duffy. “Just a few months ago, I heard about the Little Hats Big Hearts and it was just really touching and I wasn’t sure it was coming to this area so I was really excited when I heard about it.”
The American Heart Association has scheduled a number of events in February including National Wear Red Day, free health screenings at CVS and Heart Health Day at the Indiana Statehouse at the end of February.
For more information on the American Hearth Association, click here.