(Bryn Mawr, PA – February 2, 2016) – Main Line Health (MLH) has once again partnered with the American Heart Association (AHA) to celebrate Heart Month by promoting heart healthy habits in Americans young and old.
Nearly 36,000 babies are born in the Unites States each year with a congenital heart defect, making it the most common birth defect in the U.S. Because of this staggering statistic, MLH and the AHA will warm the tiny hearts and heads of every baby born across the System during the month of February through the AHA’sLittle Hats, Big Hearts program. Every baby born at Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital, and Riddle Hospital will be given a hand knit red cap to help raise awareness of heart disease and congenital heart defects.
“We encourage our expectant and new mothers to discuss their cardiac health with their OB/GYN and to develop a plan so that they are living an overall healthy lifestyle for both themselves and their baby,” says Nancy Roberts, MD, System Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Main Line Health. “We care for both mom and baby’s heart through every stage of life—from pregnancy and birth to the postpartum period and beyond.”
As the longtime Philadelphia Goes Red partner, Main Line Health recognizes that heart health is a lifelong commitment—beginning even before birth. In conjunction with the AHA, MLH has developed Healthy Heartbeats, materials dedicated to the heart health of expectant mothers, focusing on educating women about the cardiac risks related to pregnancy and what they can do to keep themselves and their babies healthy before and after birth.
“Main Line Health is dedicated to raising awareness of heart disease and congenital birth defects in our communities, starting with our youngest patients and their mothers,” says Katie Hawthorne, MD, Lankenau Heart Institute cardiologist and AHA 2016 Go Red Ambassador. “Through our comprehensive cardiovascular medicine program, Lankenau Heart Institute, Main Line Health is dedicated to helping women recognize the warning signs of heart disease and encouraging them to have open discussions with their physicians about their heart health.”
“The American Heart Association is proud of its partnership with Main Line Health, a longtime supporter of our mission”, says Laura Hollot, Metro Vice President & Executive Director of AHA in Philadelphia. “Together, Main Line Health and the AHA are working to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in women in the Greater Philadelphia region.”
To learn more about Main Line Health’s Lankenau Heart Institute, visitmainlinehealth.org/heart. For information about MLH’s Heart Month programs and events, visit mainlinehealth.org/learnwell.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About Main Line Health
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health (MLH) is a not-for-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. At its core are four of the region’s respected acute care Hospitals — Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital — as well as one of the nation’s premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital; Mirmont Treatment Center for drug and alcohol recovery; and HomeCare & Hospice, a home health service. Main Line Health also consists of Main Line HealthCare, one of the region’s largest multi-specialty physician networks, and the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a non-profit biomedical research organization located on the campus of Lankenau Medical Center. Main Line Health is also composed of four outpatient health centers located in Broomall, Collegeville, Exton and Newtown Square. Main Line Health Hospitals, with more than 10,000 employees and 2,000 physicians, are the recipients of numerous awards for quality care and service, including System Magnet® designation, the nation’s highest distinction for nursing excellence. Main Line Health is among the area’s leaders in medicine, providing advanced patient-centered care, education and research to help our community stay healthy.
