Courtesy of the Union Leader
The challenge has been made and accepted. Three of New Hampshire's top hospitals have agreed to participate in this spring's American Heart Association Hospital Cup Challenge.
The Hospital Cup is a challenge among hospitals and health-care professionals to raise lifesaving dollars to support cardiovascular research through the Heart & Stroke Walk. These dollars will be used to improve the quality of care provided here in New Hampshire.
“Elliot Health System has joined the Hospital Cup Challenge because we are highly motivated by the great work of the American Heart Association,” explained Jim Woodward, president and CEO of Elliot Health System. “By partnering with the American Heart Association in their community outreach events, we can advance the understanding and importance of reducing the incidence of heart disease and stroke. These deadly diseases are often preventable if our patients know the risk factors and how to make healthy lifestyle choices. Elliot is proud to stand together with CMC and Dartmouth-Hitchcock to take the lead in the fight against these diseases because we all see, first hand, the consequences of patients who suffer from heart disease and stroke. We are honored and proud to work collaboratively with the American Heart Association.”
Why walk? The statistics are impressive. More than 136 million Americans are overweight or obese; physically active people save on health-care costs; walking has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity; and the average person can gain two hours of life expectancy for each hour of regular exercise.
“The Hospital Cup Challenge is a fun, ‘heart healthy' competition with a very important purpose,” said Dr. Joseph Pepe, president and CEO of Catholic Medical Center. “At Catholic Medical Center, it is our responsibility to motivate, build awareness and to educate the community we serve on the importance of reducing the risks associated with heart disease and stroke and living a healthy lifestyle.”
The coveted silver cup will be presented to the winning hospital at the Heart & Stroke Walk on June 4 at the Derryfield Park in Manchester
“As a health care provider in the community, we need to engage in community activities outside our four walls,” said Steven A. Paris, medical director of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester. “Working with the American Heart and American Stroke Association on this walk is an important extension of our mission.”
Event details can be found at NHHeartWalk.org. Nationally the walk is sponsored by Subway, and locally by Elliot Health System, Hannaford, The Union Leader, WMUR and 96.5 The Mill.
From left, Steven Paris, medical director of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Manchester; Jim Woodward, president and CEO of Elliot Health System; and Dr. Joseph Pepe, president and CEO of Catholic Medical Center, pose with the Hospital Cup Challenge silver cup. (Courtesy/Millyard Studios)