The Lansing campus had the pleasure of hosting a guest speaker in honor of National Heart Health Month. In February, Judy Nash spoke about women’s heart health and how Ross students can make a difference in the allied health field when it comes to how women’s health is viewed and handled.
Nash shared that 400,000 women have heart attacks annually, and that heart attacks are currently the leading cause of death for women. Oftentimes, women are sent home when they seek medical treatment for heart attack symptoms because their concerns are not taken seriously. Nash stressed the importance of anyone entering the medical field to listen to their patients carefully.
After speaking to students, Nash handed out bags with information like tips for keeping your heart healthy and about SisterMatch, which connects heart patients one-on-one to provide support and encouragement to each other.
Medical Assisting student Tashaia Bradford found the presentation to be valuable and informative, sharing: “The instructor was very helpful in giving the Ross students information about the possibility of cardiac arrest: what to look for, what to avoid, and what to expect going into the medical field as an upcoming Medical Assistant. I am very thankful to have had the pleasure and experience.”
WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, is a support system for women who have or are at risk for heart disease. The organization has done much to bolster awareness and support, including creating support groups, creating the Red Bag of Courage® program to help educate, and training survivors to become community educators.
To learn more about WomenHeart, visit www.womenheart.org.