Women's Health At Heart

Feb 22 - Honorary women from the Gamma Eta chapter of the Chi Eta Phi Fraternity gathered over the weekend to celebrate healthy living.

They gathered last Saturday in the fellowship hall of Matt Pleasant Church in Clinton. The reason for this is their sixth annual Women's Heart Health event, which aims to raise awareness and disseminate information to improve women's health.

This year's slogan was "Live a Better Heart Healthy Life".

“February marks the beginning of American Heart Month, and this month, people around the world are united by one goal - to end heart disease and stroke,” the doctor said. “On this day, people across the country are turning to wine to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, the number one killer of women in the United States,” said Sabrina Pope.

“Grief is very personal for me because I lost the mother I loved as a child,” she said. "That's why we're here to give you so much information to help you protect your heart, your daughters' hearts, your mother's heart, your sister's heart, and the list goes on."

With that in mind, welcome to Women's Heart Health's 6th Annual Live Your Best for a Healthy Life.

The event opened with a welcoming speech by the Pope, followed by an opening prayer by Donia Edwards. Dr. Angela Harding provided a musical selection during which she treated everyone in attendance to a wonderful performance of Edwin Hawkins' Thank You Lord.

The entertainment program Eternal Trinity Dance Service followed, featuring Edwards and Harding. They performed three times during the event. After each blessed dance, the hall exploded with praise and applause.

For more information on heart disease in women, see keynote speaker, Dr. Kimberly Grigsby-Sessams. Grigsby-Sessams graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an M.D. in 1989. She is an internal medicine specialist with over 30 years of experience in Rose Hill, North Carolina, as well as two other locations.

In her speech, she touched on various topics about the causes of heart problems in women and how to eliminate them. It covers everything from stress to diet, improper diet or food preparation, the importance of reading labels, genetics and heredity, activity, and the list goes on.

The event was about more than just spreading information or awareness, as Weapons Sergeant Harriet Bryant was convinced. Then there was a segment of the show called "Let's Move", and she asked the whole class to do some exercises in the process.

There were also wellness centers for guests to visit after the program, which included blood pressure checks, healthy eating tips, a self-care journal, and CPR hands-on demonstrations. There were also door prizes.

"I want to thank everyone for participating in our sixth annual Women's Heart Health event and also for attending this Saturday," said Chapter Vice President Dr. Christy Swinson in closing remarks. “Also thank you Dr. Gracie Sesames for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share with us. I just want to thank the various places and everyone involved in this program. I would like to thank you personally and express my appreciation for everything you have done to make this event a success.”

Contact Michael B. Hardison at 910-249-4231. Follow us on Twitter @SamsponInd, like us on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @thesampsonindependent.

Heart to Heart - Sheryl Jackson & Dr. G's Women's Health