Healthy Nacogdoches Coalition looks for support

The Healthy Nacogdoches Coalition got it's start December 7, 2007. The Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital then recruited over 20 local organizations to join in improving the heart and stroke health of Nacogdoches County residents through community driven initiatives and environmental change efforts.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a group of diseases including heart disease, stroke and congestive heart failure. There are many changeable and non-changeable factors that increase a person's risk. Some changeable factors include smoking, overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and physical inactivity. Increasing age, a family health history, race, gender or a previous heart attack or stroke are all non-changeable risk factors. CVD is the leading cause of death i Nacogdoches County and in the United States.

The coalition just met January 18th to discuss goals & objectives and also start committee work.

Goals & objectives of the coalition include:

• Assessing the current policy and environment support indicators that reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke.
• Facilitating city and county wide changes to the community health environment that support improved heart and stroke health.
• Achieving Heart and Stroke Healthy City Recognition from the Texas Council on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and Stroke.
  
• Supporting ongoing heart and stroke health related health promotion programs.

Members of the coalition have started to have committee meetings. There are four committees: the Smoke Free committee, led by DawnElla Rust, the Physical Activity committee, led by Mike Kelly, the Healthy Food Options committee, led by Brenda Marques and the CVD/Stroke Disparities committee, led by Almarie Henderson.

The next coalition meeting is to held March 6, 2008.

Mark your calendar:
Feb 1st - National Wear Red for Women Day
Feb 3rd - Go Red Sunday
Feb 29th - Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital's Women's Heart Truth Luncheon