Fargo VA teams up with American Heart Association to fight Veteran heart disease

FARGO, N.D. – The Fargo VA Medical Center will host a Heart Health Fair and Go Red for Women expo on Feb. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the medical center’s 3rd floor auditorium.

The Heart Health Fair is an effort to raise awareness of heart and vascular disease for all Veterans while the Go Red for Women expo, an American Heart Association program, places special emphasis on heart disease in women Veterans. The event is free and open to all VA-enrolled Veterans.

“This event not only highlights our commitment to care for women Veterans, but it is also a great opportunity to share information about cardiovascular disease management and prevention in both men and women,” said Lavonne Liversage, Fargo VA Health Care System Director. “We are especially proud to team with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement to help raise awareness.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both women and men.

“Many Veterans have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease,” said Bonnie Odermann, Fargo VA HCS Health Promotion Disease Prevention Program Manager. “Our Health Fair will be a great opportunity to provide our Veterans with life-saving information about their personal risks.”

During the event, professionals will discuss how to reduce cardiovascular risk factors, manage heart disease and blood pressure using telehealth, and heart-healthy nutrition. A healthy cooking demonstration and blood pressure screenings will also be provided. Professionals will be available to provide information and talk with Veterans about self-managing chronic

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cardiovascular conditions including hypertension, diabetes, and congestive heart failure. Information about VA services to assist with managing heart health, including how to perform layperson CPR, will be provided. Free items to assist in risk factor reduction will be available to the first 90 Veterans.

ATTENTION MEDIA: Members of the media interested in attending the event should call the Fargo VA HCS Public Affairs office at (701) 239-3724 or email Ross.Tweten@va.gov.