Parkridge East Hospital and the American Heart Association are celebrating American Heart Month by providing red hats for all babies born at The Birth Place at Parkridge East on Feb. 3, National Wear Red Day, and Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day.
Parkridge is participating in the Association’s Little Hats, Big Hearts program, which raises awareness of heart disease, the number one killer of Americans, and congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect in the country. The tiny red hats will include a special message to moms reminding them of the importance of a healthy heart and where to find helpful information.
“At Parkridge East, we focus on good health for the entire family,” said Jarrett Millsaps, CEO of Parkridge East Hospital. “The Little Hats, Big Hearts program is an excellent reminder of the lifelong importance of heart health for moms and their babies. This is very important because we know moms are great at taking care of the family, but they often ignore their own health. This program gives us the opportunity to educate our moms on the importance of a healthy heart so she can celebrate the newest addition to her family now and for the many years to come.”
American Heart Month is an annual celebration in February that began in 1963 to encourage Americans to join the battle against heart disease. A local proclamation pays tribute each year to researchers, physicians, public health professionals, and volunteers for their efforts in preventing, treating, and researching heart disease.