UMH Plans Full Slate of Events

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. To prevent heart disease and increase awareness of its effects, Uvalde Memorial Hospital is proudly participating in American Heart Month. In Texas, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported over 45,000 deaths in 2017 from heart disease. In addition to being the state’s leading cause of death, Texas ranked 18th nationally for heart disease deaths.

UMH will be spreading awareness throughout the month kicking off with offering blood pressure checks around the community each Thursday. On February 14, start your Valentine’s Day with a free blood pressure check in the hospital’s registration lobby from 9:00-11:00am. On this date free A1Cs will also be administered to individuals who wish to participate. This simple blood test measures average blood glucose levels for the past 3 months and is used to diagnose diabetes, which tends to lead to heart disease. The following Thursday, February 21, find UMH staff at the Herby Ham Adult Activity Center and then at the Uvalde County Nutrition Center on Thursday, February 28. Free blood pressure checks and heart health tips will be offered at each location from 9:00-11:00am.

Celebrate heart health more in depth with board certified cardiologist Dr. Shawn Ragbir at UMH’s Heart to Heart forum on Tuesday, February 12 from 5:30-7:00pm at El Progreso Memorial Library. Dr. Ragbir will candidly cover women and cardiovascular disease, microvascular heart disease, Broken Heart Syndrome, and whether or not baby aspirin is a daily necessity. Dr. Andrezj Stypko will also be on hand to touch on the relation of diabetes to heart disease and the importance of wound care and regular foot exams for individuals diagnosed with diabetes. Join the physicians for an open, understandable discussion and short question and answer session. The evening will be free of charge, open to the public, and include free blood pressure checks, free A1C testing, light refreshments, and giveaways.

The following week, join UMH trauma coordinator Nelson Dungo for a Stop The Bleed course. This class is designed to teach bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency until professional help can arrive. It is great for any community member who wishes to be prepared in the case of emergency including car accidents, shootings, or similar scenarios in which extensive blood loss could occur. Excessive blood loss can lead to death within five minutes so this course could truly save someone with life threatening injuries. The course will be offered twice on Monday, February 18 from 9:00-11:00am and again from 5:30-7:30pm at the hospital in the Wrather Holmgreen Conference Room. Both courses will be open to the public and offered free of charge, but a reservation is necessary so call 830-278-6251 extension 1038 to save your seat.

The last week of the month, UMH will be celebrating again with Dr. Shawn Ragbir as he hosts Walk With A Doc at Uvalde Memorial Park on Saturday, February 23 from 9:00-10:00am. This is an opportunity for a fun, safe walk where you can learn about health and meet new friends. Big Oak Crossfit, Pure Fitness, Shotgun Crossfit, and Snap Fitness will all be on hand also to celebrate American Heart Month and teach basic exercises. Meet under the park pavilion.
“We’re excited to have a full slate of events to celebrate American Heart Month with our community,” stated Tom Nordwick, UMH chief executive officer.
“Each event that we are hosting is open to the public and free of charge, and with heart disease as the leading cause of death in Texas, and across the nation, we hope that our community members will join us throughout this month to learn more and take a proactive approach to their heart health,” Nordwick added.
Visit Uvalde Memorial Hospital’s website at www.umhtx.org or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/uvaldememorial for additional details on each event.