Women Dance to Their Heart's Content at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
New Brunswick, NJ – More than 500 people filled Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s courtyard today for health screenings, professional dance demonstrations, healthy heart education and special guests including actor Patrick Swayze at the hospital’s annual “Day of Dance for Heart Health.”
The event at the hospital was part of a series of “Day of Dance” celebrations taking place in more than 30 cities in the United States to raise awareness about heart disease in women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death of women 35 years of age and older, claiming approximately 230,000 lives in the United States each year.
“When it comes to cardiac care, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital offers renowned specialists and the most advanced testing and treatments,” said Clifton R. Lacy, MD, the hospital president and CEO. “Heart health begins with a healthy lifestyle. Our Day of Dance teaches women about the benefits of lifestyle change in the prevention of heart disease.”
The event featured heart-healthy tips on eating well and exercising from Jeffrey Levine, MD, a recent contestant from the NBC-TV weight-loss reality show The Biggest Loser, and a member of the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital medical staff. It also included a discussion about gender differences in heart disease by Archana Patel, MD, a specialist in cardiovascular disease on the hospital’s medical staff. Actor and dancer Patrick Swayze gave a talk entitled “Dance Your Way to Heart Health” that tied the goal of being heart-healthy to being happy and having fun.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is one of the region’s leading heart hospitals, and RWJUH has received numerous awards and recognitions. Consumers Digest magazine has ranked RWJUH among the top five hospitals in the nation for patient safety. RWJUH had more top-rated physicians than any hospital in New Jersey listed in New York magazine and New Jersey Monthly’s most recent “Best Doctors” issues. In addition, the hospital’s nursing staff received its third consecutive Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence, making RWJUH the fourth hospital in the United States to win this prestigious honor three times.
The national Day of Dance effort is organized by the Spirit of Women, a women’s health advocacy network.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Selected as one of four hospitals nationwide to offer the world's first self-contained implantable artificial heart, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.rwjuh.edu) is a 600-bed academic medical center and the principal hospital of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ. Robert Wood Johnson is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care in medicine. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, and women's and children's care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). The hospital is also a Level 1 Trauma Center and serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.
The hospital has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for both heart and heart surgery and respiratory disorders, according to U.S.News & World Report's 2008 ranking of "America's Best Hospitals." The American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer has rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital among the nation's best comprehensive cancer centers. The Leapfrog Group rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the 50 exceptional U.S. hospitals, as published in Consumers Digest magazine. Harvard University researchers, in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund, identified Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is also a recipient of the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence for more than 10 consecutive years.
Attention members of the media: For more information on this release, please contact the Department of Public Relations (732) 937-8521.
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