Celebrate American Heart Month this February

Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine are honoring American Heart Month this February. Here’s how you can learn more about heart disease, the top cause of death worldwide, and promote heart health in the community:

• Wear red on Friday, Feb. 6. Celebrate National Wear Red Day and help raise awareness of heart disease in women. Take a selfie, post it to your social media accounts using the hashtag #WearRedDay and tag Penn State Health:
  • Facebook: @PennStateHealth
  • Instagram: @PennStateHershey
  • LinkedIn: @PennStateHealth

Remember to check your surroundings and avoid including any Protected Health Information in your photo. Prefer not to post it yourself? Email your photo to agettler@pennstatehealth.psu.edu, and the Office of Marketing and Communications will include it in Wear Red Day posts.

• Give from the Heart. Consider supporting Penn State Health’s Give from the Heart campaign this month. The money raised will help provide free cardiovascular screenings and expanded access to fresh fruits and vegetables for local people in need. You can donate online, give via payroll deduction or register to fundraise. Give or raise $100 or more and receive a commemorative pin.
• Recognize Heart Failure Awareness Week and Cardiac Rehab Week Feb. 8–14.
  • Heart failure affects more than 6 million Americans and is one of the most common diagnoses in hospital patients aged 65 and older. Cardiac rehab can help reduce the effects of heart disease and prevent future complications.
  • From Tuesday, Feb. 10 through Thursday, Feb. 12, the multidisciplinary heart failure team will staff a table near the Starbucks at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center to provide information about cardiac rehab, electrophysiology, left ventricular assist devices, heart transplants and research from Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute and Penn State College of Medicine.
• Learn from Penn State Health heart experts featured on TV. Our cardiovascular experts are often featured in the media, especially during American Heart Month. Learn tips for taking care of your heart during the following specials this February:
  • Wednesday, Feb. 4 from 6:30–8:15 p.m. on abc27:
    • Michael Farbaniec will explain how chronic stress accelerates heart disease and share simple interventions that reduce risk.
    • Priya Rajagopalan will join the webchat to discuss women and heart disease.
    • Behzad Soleimani will share that for the second time, the heart transplant program at Milton S. Hershey Medical Centerhas achieved a 100% three-year survival rate, placing the program among the best in the nation.
    • Chad Zack will discuss renal denervation, an emerging treatment option for hard-to-control high blood pressure.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. on WFMZ-TV 69:
    • A cardiac rehabilitation patient story
    • A look at fad diets versus evidence-based eating featuring a cooking demonstration
    • A live segment with cardiologist Dr. Andrew Waxler

If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email Penn State Health Marketing & Communications.