![\"image2\"](\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/medicine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/945\/2018\/12\/4th-annual-outreach-symposium-for-women-puts-spotlight-on-heart-health-image2.jpeg\")
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No one knows a woman\u2019s heart like the cardiologists at UNC\u2019s Center for Heart and Vascular Care. Heart disease is a killer that strikes more women than men and it\u2019s more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. While one in 31 women die from breast cancer each year, heart disease claims the lives of one in three.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to encourage women to be more aware of their heart health as we focus on early-detection, prevention, risk assessment, lifestyle management and raising awareness,\u201d said Miller who is also medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and director of UNC\u2019s Women\u2019s Heart Program at the UNC School of Medicine.<\/p>\n
Symposium topics informed women of the causes of heart disease and treatment. Cardiovascular disease and stroke impact women differently across race and ethnicity while cultural, educational and economic disparities further complicate prevention efforts.<\/p>\n
Ambassadors for Women\u2019s Cardiovascular Health<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cOur hope is that participants take away not only the importance of educating themselves, but the need to help educate all women,\u201d said Miller. \u201cWe want them to share the information they learn with daughters, granddaughters, co-workers and neighbors. Cardiovascular disease is preventable.\u201d<\/p>\n Participant Pat Flynn left inspired to focus on her own health. With heart disease effecting both sides of her family–her younger brother died from a heart attack in Yosemite National Park at age 40–she realized the vital missing element in her own heath regimen is exercise.<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Weickert\u2019s presentation was especially important to me. I felt very pampered and well taken care of,\u201d said Flynn. \u201cIt was a day where I could put luxurious attention on myself. The whole experience was such a gift.\u201d<\/p>\n UNC\u2019s head women\u2019s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell was keynote speaker and the events offered, free to all participants, a heart healthy lunch meal and snacks, plus nutrition and fitness recommendations.<\/p>\n As director of the UNC Women\u2019s Heart Program, Dr. Miller is focused on preventing cardiac symptoms and illness. She provides cardiovascular fitness counseling, while providing stress and general echocardiography services. She has received numerous accolades and awards for her work to fight women\u2019s heart disease.<\/p>\n Donations to this annual outreach symposium can be made by contacting Brian Frerking at frerking@email.unc.edu<\/a> or Dr. Paula Miller at paula_miller@med.unc.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" <\/p>\n February was American Heart Month, the perfect time to advocate for the cardiovascular health of women. Led by Dr. Paula Miller, clinical associate professor in the division of cardiology in UNC\u2019s department of medicine, the 4th annual Women\u2019s Heart Symposium drew nearly 100 women for a day of free education, food and health tips, enabling women of all ages and backgrounds to learn about heart disease and how to prevent it. The event was made possible by private donations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69419,"featured_media":4542,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[86,2],"tags":[22],"class_list":["post-4541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardiology","category-news","tag-22","odd"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n