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WHD competitions attract students
World Heart Day is run by the World Heart
Federation's member organizations in 100 countries. The aim is
to build awareness of the threat of heart disease and stroke and
the importance of a heart-healthy lifestyle. World Heart Day
education activities include health checks, walks, runs, jump
rope, fitness sessions, public talks, stage shows, scientific
forums, exhibitions, concerts, carnivals and sports tournaments.
The theme of this year’s campaign is “How
Young is your Heart” and here in Barbados the Heart & Stroke
Foundation of Barbados has teamed up with Guardian Life of the
Caribbean Limited to organize a number of events in support of
World Heart Day and Barbados Heart Week, including a unique
Essay and Poster Competition for primary school students and a
Health Walk.
It was thought particularly pertinent to
target young people through the essay and poster competitions,
as this gives them the opportunity to focus at an early age on
identifying good living habits and the right choice of foods,
qualities and practices that they can take with them through
life.
The Essay Competition is for students 8 to
11 years and they were asked to write an essay of 350 words or
less on the theme “How Young Is Your Heart.” The Poster
Competition is for students 5 to 8 years and they similarly were
required to submit a poster on the theme.
Entries for the competitions, which close at
the end of August, have been flowing in to the headquarters of
the Foundation. These will be seen by a panel of judges, and the
winners will be declared at an Awards Ceremony, which to be held
at Harrison College on September 21st. A lecture will also be
featured on the occasion.
Barbados Heart Week will get underway with a
Church Service at St. Matthias Anglican church on September
17th, and on September19th there will be an Open Day at the
Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados on Jemmotts Lane, when the
public will be invited to visit, meet with the staff and get a
first hand look at the programmes and activities that take place
at the institution.
The week will climax with a sponsored Health
Walk at the Garrison Savannah on the 23rd September. The event
will begin at 6:30 a.m. and members of the public are asked to
join the staffs of Guardian Life and the Heart & Stroke
Foundation in making this a very special day of fun and
exercise.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and
controlling the major cardiovascular risk factors, such as an
unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and tobacco use, can prevent
heart attacks and stroke and help the heart to age more slowly.
That’s why this year’s World Heart Day campaign asks: “How Young
is Your Heart?”
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