Around the Regions

Eastern

Fun and Fitness in Harbour Grace

The Fun and Fitness Program in Harbour Grace aims to help participants maintain healthy blood pressures and healthy weights through a combination of flexibility, endurance and weight-bearing exercises.

Twice a week, 15 - 20 members of this Fun and Fitness group come to St. Paul's Church for some heart healthy fun.

For more information, contact Alice Blundon at 596-2358.

Stop Smoking: A Program for Women

In October 1999, a facilitators workshop for the Smoking Cessation Program, Stop Smoking: A Program for Women, was held in Clarenville. At this workshop, 16 new facilitators were trained, including three members of the Central Heart Health Coalition. This smoking cessation program is currently being offered in Harbour Grace, St. Brides, Whitbourne, and with employees of the Whitbourne Youth Centre.

For more information, contact Natalie Moody at (709) 466-6334.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

In February 2000, the Peninsula Health Care Corporation launched their new and improved Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. This Program focuses on the restoration of optimal health and well being following a heart attack. The program begins in the hospital and continues after the patient returns home.

The main aim of the program is to lower an individual's risk factors for recurring heart disease through a combination of medication and the encouragement of a healthier lifestyle.

The revised Cardiac Rehabilitation Program was developed by members of the health care team.

For more information, contact Ann Mario Griffiths at the B.G. Cross Memorial Hospital in Clarenville at (709) 466-5366 or Linda Drover in Burin at (709) 891-3475.

Eastern Heart Health Network Quilt Launch

A "Stitch in Time Saves Nine"... if you sew a small tear now, you hope you won't have to repair a big tear later. This message of prevention was chosen as the title and theme for the Women and Heart Health Quilt Project.

The idea for the quilt project began when Natalie Moody, Co-Chair of the Eastern Heart Health Network, read about a similar project in the April '99 issue of Canadian Living. Shortly after, a Quilt Project Working Group formed in June 1999, and started planning for the activity. The goal of the project was to make a quilt as a resource to help increase the awareness of women's heart health.

By September 1999, the Eastern Heart Health Network members approached individuals and groups inviting them to contribute a quilt block to the project. At this time, the Network also provided information on women and heart health and suggested heart health messages for the blocks. The response was great!! The Network collected 45 quilt blocks, enough to assemble 3 quilts. Each block reflected the developer's creativity as the health topic, design and colors were his/her choice. The quilters (29 individuals and 13 groups) worked alone or with their friends and mothers, sisters and/or daughters to complete the task.

The project participants included men and women from all walks of life... the novice to the experienced quilter... teenagers to seniors... and those in the communities from Clarenville to Whitbourne, and from Trinity, Conception and St. Mary's Bays. The quilts were assembled by the Women's Institutes in Harcourt, Musgravetown-Bloomfield and Port Union-Catalina - Little Catalina. Each quilt has its own display stand made by men in the Eastern Region.

The quilts were unveiled on February 22, 2000 before a group of about 70 people, many of whom were involved in making the quilts. Six women who participated in the project assisted with the unveiling.

As an added bonus ..."A Stitch in Time" was accepted as a poster presentation at the First International Conference on Women, Heart Disease and Stroke in Victoria, B.C., in May. People from around the world had the opportunity to see the creativity and talent demonstrated in this project and how the Eastern Heart Health Network are promoting the messages of women's heart health.

Altogether, it took about 100 people over a 4 month period to complete the project... a job well done! A big thank-you to everyone who participated. The "Stitch in Time" project will continue as the quilts are used to deliver heart health messages.

For further information on the quilt project, contact Donna Noseworthy at (709) 229-1575.

Smoke-Free Environments

The Eastern Heart Health Network would like to take this opportunity to congratulate businesses and organizations in the Eastern Region who have decided to provide their patrons with a Smoke-Free Environment. The Eastern Heart Health Network presented certificates to the Irving Oil Limited in Clarenville, Goobies, Whitbourne and Grand Falls-Windsor, and to the Royal Canadian Legion, Clarenville Lions Club and the Clarenville Minor Hockey Association.

Millennium Walking Club

Linda Foss of Dildo first became involved in a walking club after participating in a Heart Healthy survey conducted in her community in October, 1999. Linda completed a questionnaire indicating her interest in getting involved in Heart Health activities. With the help of the Eastern Heart Health Network, the Millennium Walking Club held its first meeting on March 7, 2000. The meeting was a great success with twenty-seven in attendance. Donna Noseworthy, Co-Chair of the Eastern Heart Health Network, and Lynette Maloney, Public Health Nurse, gave a presentation on Women and Heart Health and displayed a quilt from the Women and Heart Health Quilt Project. Not only did Linda initiate the Millennium Walking Club, but she also contributed a block to the quilt project! The Millennium Walking Club is looking forward to future adventures and activities. Thank-you Linda Foss!