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22 January 2007
Mention South Africa and disease and HIV/AIDS immediately springs to mind. What people don't realise is that close on its heels comes heart disease which affects around one in three men and one in four women with 6.8 million South Africans having elevated cholesterol levels (above five).
By 2015 cardiovascular disease will have reached epidemic proportions, putting an even greater strain on our limited health resources. The irony is that this is such an easily preventable disease.
"The biggest tragedy is that not enough people are aware of the risks of heart disease, especially since there are so many simple ways to avoid heart disease," says Shân Biesman-Simons, Director of Nutrition and Education of the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA.
With over half the population overweight and many suffering from stress, these statistics should come as no shock. And shock is what is needed to make South Africans sit up and take notice before it's too late. The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA has launched its Challenge Complacency Campaign to make people aware of heart disease.
"We need people to have their cholesterol levels checked, but even more importantly, we need people to take a good hard look at their lifestyle and see if they could 'do it better' before it's too late."
We have cardiologists and experts in this field ready to be interviewed and give any information needed to get this message across to your readers, as well as ordinary South Africans who have suffered from heart disease and are happy to share their stories.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle Kearney,
Project Director: Communications & Public Relations,
The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA
+27-21-447 4222 -
email: michelle@heartfoundation.co.za
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