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Lebanon Daily News
Four cardiologists and other WellSpan Good Samaritan volunteers were on duty just off Route 422 on August 10 to raise awareness among residents about heart and circulatory problems.
On Saturday morning, volunteers participated in a car wash at the Annville Auto Center. Money raised at the car wash benefited the Lebanon Heart Walk, which supports the American Heart Association.
“I think we washed about 50 to 60 cars and raised a little over $1,000 in donations,” said Dr. Matthew Heffernan.
Volunteers flagged down anyone on Route 422 to donate and wash up during the two-and-a-half hour event. Some donors stopped by to donate, and even a North Lebanon police officer made a detour for the event.
“He was on duty, (but) we were able to wash his car,” said Dr. Adam Shipe. “We got a good picture afterwards, but unfortunately only one. A couple of times a fire truck drove by and we tried to get in, but we couldn’t.”
The Lebanon Heart Walk is one of the American Heart Association’s premier fundraisers in Lebanon County and takes place on September 29th.
“Obviously, fundraising allows any type of organization to get more resources, whether it’s through hiring new people or organizing more events,” Heffernan said. “They do a lot of great things for the community, raising awareness about cardiovascular health and educating people.”
In addition to events like the Lebanon Heart Walk, WellSpan Good Samaritan doctors visit local nursing homes and senior living communities to discuss issues like heart disease and blood pressure control. Shipe said these visits occur nearly four times a year.
“The statistics from at least six years ago said that the death rate from cancer still doesn’t match the death rate from cardiovascular deaths,” Shipe said. “That was a big turning point for me to pursue this as a career, but also to do some of these volunteer opportunities so we can get out there and talk to the community about it.”
Cardiovascular health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022, 702,880 people died from heart disease in the United States, accounting for one in five deaths.
“Over 50% of Americans have heart disease,” Heffernan said. “So if you take care of your health and maintain a healthy lifestyle, whether it’s through diet, exercise (or) hopefully a combination of both, you can significantly reduce heart disease.”
Symptoms of heart disease may include chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and dizziness. If you experience these symptoms, it is important to call 911 immediately.
Someone with heart disease might feel like “an elephant is sitting on their chest” when exercising, Shipe said, but patients may also experience a complete change in their functional performance.
“If you’re someone who’s very active… exercising three or four times a week, and you find that you were doing the same amount of exercise two or three months ago, but now you’re not doing even half of that, that should be evaluated by a cardiologist,” he said.
According to Heffernan, healthy lifestyle habits, including diet and exercise, have a greater impact on cardiovascular health than anything a doctor prescribes.
“These lifestyle influences have a much greater impact on your overall health, well-being and quality of life than any medication we prescribe,” he said. “And starting that at a young age and continuing it is the best thing for the future.”
Residents seeking more information on cardiovascular health can visit the American Heart Association website at heart.org.
Matthew Toth is a reporter with the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at [email protected] or on X at @DAMattToth..
