February 6, 2006 – [Columbus, GA] – The Women’s Center of St. Francis and St. Francis Hospital, in cooperation with the Spirit of Women national hospital network, will participate in the 2006 Day of Dance, a nationwide effort bringing together tens of thousands of people across the country on Saturday, February 25. The effort aims to improve women’s heart health. Proving that exercise can be both enjoyable and beneficial to the heart, the program will combine the fun of different forms of dancing, such as ballroom dancing, line dancing, hula, ballet and more, with health screenings and consumer education on heart disease and other women’s health issues.

“Dancing is my life, and it is nice to know that dancing also promotes a healthy life,” says David Herriott, artistic and executive director of the Columbus Ballet. “The Spirit of Women’s Day of Dance for Heart Health is promoting dance as exercise for a healthy heart. Dance is good for your spirit and helps maintain a healthy body in many ways. Also, just to be fair, dance is for everyone—young, old, women and men.”

The Women’s Center of St. Francis’ local Day of Dance event will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in front of Macy’s at Peachtree Mall. It will include consumer education on heart disease, health screenings, WRBL’s Creshon Saunders as emcee, music and dance demonstrations. Participating dance groups include Elite Dance Academy, Academy of Fine Arts Patty Taylor Dance Center, Performance Dance Center, Columbus Ballet, the Gallops Center (a hula group and a line dance group called The Gems), and David Dance Company (from Atlanta). At 12 noon, 500 red balloons will be released with the names of heart patient survivors identified by participants. Attendees will also be eligible for the 2006 Day of Dance Sweepstakes to win a weekend in Nashville, TN. Numerous free samples and door prizes will be given away, too.

In line with the goals of The Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign on women and heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the message behind the Day of Dance is unique: Being heart healthy is about being happier and having more fun. This innovative approach to health emphasizes celebration rather than fear.

Day of Dance will help to reinforce community awareness of the dangers of heart disease for women and provide educational resources about cardiovascular health and risk factors, such as cholesterol. The goal is to educate women about healthy choices they can easily incorporate into their lifestyles, as well as warning signs of heart disease.

Heart Facts

• Nearly 500,000 women die each year of cardiovascular disease, making it the #1 killer of American women. 
• Heart disease kills 6 times more women than breast cancer.
• In the fight against heart disease, women need to understand risk factors that increase the risk for developing heart disease, such as high cholesterol. (For example, it is important to know that while diet can contribute significantly to elevated cholesterol, the body’s natural chemistry can often produce dangerously high levels of LDL (‘bad”) cholesterol based on heredity alone.) 

About Spirit of Women
The Spirit of Women Hospital Network unites the individual efforts of hospitals throughout the United States to educate and care for women in a unique way that emphasizes total well-being — body, mind, and spirit. It addresses issues of family, health and work though a variety of means, including educational events, networking opportunities, national awards, and promotion of research. Spirit of Women hospitals and health systems share the common goal of advancing women’s wellness in their own communities while building a reputation for regional leadership in women’s health services. More information about Spirit of Women check them out online. More information on National Day of Dance can also be found online.