Fun Fuels Fairs
Watch a video of our DC event. 
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The Sister to Sister Foundation is so thankful that women from all over the country took time out of their busy lives to spend a few minutes with their most important ally…their hearts. Our 2008 National Women’s Healthy Heart Campaign was a success because of our partners… 1,700 volunteers, 25 major hospitals and nursing programs, 30 media partners and 175 community based non-profit programs worked together to encourage over 45,000 people to attend our fairs, and as a result, more than 12,000 women were screened this past month.
Our 2008 Fairs offered tips on stress reduction (meditation, reading and knitting), lifestyle ideas, fun ways to get fit, cooking demonstrations that turned familiar foods into heart-healthy foods, and so much more. Each Fair had dedicated medical professionals explaining how to prevent heart disease in simple terms, and how to take the next steps to change their lives.
Yet the campaign also had a sobering task...80% of the women screened learned for the first time that they were at risk for heart disease. Sister to Sister is about changing lives and helping women take the necessary steps to live a more heart-healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.
This year’s campaign highlights include:
New York: Mae and the Jive Walkers, a dance troupe from Harlem ranging in age from 68 to 92 years young, performed in fishnets and high heels. Watch out Tina Turner!
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| Mae and the Jive Walkers dance troupe. |
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| Blood pressure screenings at the Philadelphia Fair. |
Philadelphia: Hometown “Biggest Loser” contestant, Nicole Michalik, shared how she shed 105 pounds since appearing on the reality TV show.
Dallas showcased “De-Stress Central,” where organization experts showed women that even purse purging can reduce stress and therefore affect blood pressure.
Chicago offered cooking demonstrations right in the “Chopping Block” cooking school in the Merchandise Mart.
Miami featured medical professionals who spoke about “Stress Reduction for Superwomen” and “Food Choices for Fitness.” Their Creole panel extended an extra hour due to its popularity.
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| Les Dames d’Escoffier cooking demonstration at the Washington, DC Fair. |
Community spirit ignites the Fairs
The Fairs also brought out community spirit among our medical partners. The Detroit Medical Center ran shuttles throughout the day from their hospitals in downtown Detroit to local businesses to bring women to the Fair. Special prize giveaways rewarded the medical volunteers and counselors for getting themselves screened.
The St. Francis Heart Center in Indianapolis provided staff to screen and counsel women. They also highlighted their mall walking program, Nia Dance classes, and new Creative Visualization program.
Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital left their schedules open for the week following the Fair to see at-risk patients. Their goal was to ensure that no one would have to wait weeks before seeing a doctor.
Corporations show their heart
Women, the “heart of the family,” were honored by corporations and government partners at our Fairs. In Atlanta, Sister to Sister will be honored with the Heart Awareness Award given by Georgia’s Department of Women’s Health.
The Mayor’s Office in Los Angeles commented that the Heart Health Fair was “the most amazing thing he had seen in LA concerning women’s health care.” The Office will be partnering with Sister to Sister on future projects.
Both Compuware and Marketing Associates in Detroit brought groups of women to the Fair. They offered an incentive luncheon to every participant who got screened.
Mission accomplished!
In all our cities, stories of lives changed stood out from the day’s fun. In Jacksonville, for example, 1,000 women were screened. Five women were taken to the EMT station on site and several were taken directly to the hospital.
In Los Angeles, an elderly woman expressed her gratitude for her free screening. She left with peace of mind, having learned that her numbers were fine and that she avoided the need for expensive tests.
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| Attendee at the LA Heart Health Fair. |
In Boston, a man’s mother spoke little English and only visits doctors with him, so this was a great chance to spend time with her and to have her results interpreted at the Fair.
Our staff is buoyed by the knowledge that we have touched so many women—mothers, daughters, sisters, friends.
