NRC Teams Up for Heart Health

Phoenix, AZ, March 05, 2010 --(PR.com)-- On Saturday, February 27, 2010, NRC supported the Phoenix Start! Heart Walk organized by the American Heart Association (AHA). Both NRC and AHA share the need to get the word out that heart disease is the leading cause of death for American Indians – a risk that is complicated by American Indians having the highest rate of diabetes in the world. Other factors that complicate heart risk for American Indians are poverty, poor nutrition, obesity, and depression.

Many tribal health programs also worked throughout February, National Heart Month, to boost heart health on their reservations. This included programs such as:
· 3 Navajo Nation Special Diabetes Project offices
· 3 special Heart Month projects for Navajo, and Santa Ana and Tesuque Pueblos
· 24 diabetes, nutrition, depression, exercise, and health fair/screening projects

All 30 of these projects were supported by National Relief Charities (NRC) and its CIN and SWIRC programs. The practical incentive items provided helped these Program Partners ensure participation of over 2,500 community members on 9 reservations.

National Relief Charities is a nonprofit dedicated to quality of life on remote reservations. NRC supports tribal health programs with ongoing classes about health concerns such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and smoking, as well as diet, exercise, and one-time events such as health fairs, health screenings, wellness walks, and prevention projects.

It is the norm for members of reservation communities to rely on such programs for screening, education, and disease management or prevention. Often, the only way that reservation community members know they have high blood pressure or heart problems is by going to a community health screening or having a heart attack. NRC spokespersons add, “Contrary to popular belief, healthcare is not free or readily accessible on the reservations. Doctor’s offices, such as primary physicians or specialists, are rare on the 75+ reservations where we work.” This is why NRC has services to support healthy living activities and community events on reservations in 12 states across the Southwest and northern Plains.

NRC has been serving Native Americans for 20 years and is supported by a network of over 1,000 reservation program partners. For more information, visit www.nrcprograms.org.

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