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THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EXCITING CELEBRATION AS WE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED JEFFERSON PARISH'S LIBRARIES WITH HEART PROGRAM.
IT'S A GREAT DAY HERE AT EAST BANK REGIONAL LIBRARY.
WE HAVE INCREDIBLE PARTNERSHIPS AROUND THE PARISH, BUT TODAY WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND THERE'S GONNA BE BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORS HERE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS AND THE MACHINE THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE READING RIGHT AWAY TODAY.
IT'S ABOUT SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE BUT INCREDIBLY POWERFUL, MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO CONTROL THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE RIGHT HERE AT THE LIBRARY.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS KNOWN AS A SILENT KILLER, AND MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS. AND SO IF LEFT UNMANAGED BLOOD PRESSURE CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF HEART ATTACKS, STROKES, KIDNEY DISEASE, AND OTHER SERIOUSNESS, CHRONIC ILLNESSES THROUGH LIBRARIES WITH HEART, WE ARE MAKING IT EASIER FOR RESIDENTS TO KNOW THEIR NUMBERS, UNDERSTAND THEIR RISKS, AND TAKE ACTION BEFORE HEALTHCARE CRISIS OCCUR, THE PROGRAM HAS ALREADY, UH, POTENTIALLY SAVED SOMEONE'S LIFE.
THE PATRON USED THE MONITOR SEVERAL TIMES AND STARTED TO NOTICE AN ELEVATED HEART RATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE READING.
SHE RECOGNIZED THE WARNING SIGNS BECAUSE SHE HAD THESE, THESE EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO SEEK OUT AND RECEIVE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT BEFORE A CRISIS OCCURRED.
I LOST MY HUSBAND VERY SUDDENLY TO A HEART ATTACK.
WE DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD A HEART PROBLEM.
HE WAS ACTIVE, HE WAS STILL, UM, RUNNING EVERY MORNING.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEALTH THROUGH THESE INSTRUMENTS, KNOWING THE SIGNS, OBVIOUSLY BLOOD PRESSURE, BIG RISK FOR HEART, UM, FAILURE.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY CRITICAL TO FAMILIES THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN REALIZE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR BODIES.
LIKE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR FAMILY.