Houston Healthcare Hosts “Red Luncheon” For Heart Health

WARNER ROBINS, GA - On Thursday, February 15, 2024, Houston Healthcare’s Community Health Education Department (EduCare) hosted its annual “Red Luncheon” to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease. Over 185 community members gathered in the Cary W. Martin Conference Center to enjoy a healthy meal and hear a “Houston Heart Story” from Seymour Castro, PT, DPT, manager of Rehabilitation Services and patient of Houston Healthcare, and the team who cared for him.

Castro experienced a heart attack four days after running a 5K in Fall 2023. A healthy eater and avid exerciser who thought he couldn’t possibly have a heart attack, he waited three hours before heading to the emergency room. A main point of his story was – anyone experiencing signs or symptoms of a heart attack should call 911 or head to the emergency room immediately. Time is of the essence to ensure a positive outcome.

“We always encourage people to come as quickly as possible because the patient’s muscle is at risk the longer it is without blood flow,” says Anna Boyd, RN, director of Cardiovascular Services and Houston Heart Institute, Houston Healthcare. “If there is a blockage in the coronary artery, the patient is losing oxygenation and blood flow to that area of the heart. The longer they delay, the more long-term damage can occur, potentially leading to death."

Fortunately, Castro arrived at Houston Healthcare’s Emergency Department and was taken to the Cath lab within a matter of minutes where he received the lifesaving treatment he needed. His story showcased his patient experience within the full range of cardiovascular services available at Houston Healthcare -- the ER, Cath lab, inpatient care in the Intensive Care Unit and 4 Main Cardiovascular unit, and a medically supervised cardiac rehabilitation program post discharge through Houston Healthcare’s Health Connections.

“People need to know that we offer comprehensive, lifesaving cardiovascular care right here at Houston Healthcare in Warner Robins, Ga.” says Castro. “Every patient should receive the same excellent care I received, every time.”

Houston Healthcare President and CEO, Charles Briscoe, FACHE, took the podium to provide an overview of the cardiovascular services available at Houston Healthcare as well as the new MRI machine arriving at the Warner Robins campus in May 2024. With its arrival, Houston Healthcare will begin performing Cardiac MRI, which provides high-quality images in two or three dimensions of the heart (chambers, valves and muscles) to show how well the heart is working and how blood moves through it. These images help healthcare providers figure out what’s wrong and make a proper diagnosis.

Lastly, Sheldon Mattox, RN, MBA, director of Post-Surgical, Rehabilitation & Educational Services for Houston Healthcare, shared the results of Houston County’s 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment. The report shows that heart disease deaths are higher in Houston County (214 per 100,000) than both the state of Georgia (178.3 per 100,000) and the United States (164.4 per 100,000). As the most widespread and costly health problem facing the nation today, it is also among the most preventable. Mattox discussed the free exercise and nutrition classes available to the community through Houston Healthcare’s EduCare Department.

The event concluded with the challenge for attendees to invite the Houston Heart Institute to teach Hands-Only CPR at their place of business, church, or club, free of charge. The goal is to increase the number of individuals who can initiate life saving measures until emergency services arrive.

For information, or to register for free, ongoing heart health classes offered by Houston Healthcare’s EduCare Department, call 478-923-9771 or visit hhc.org/events. To inquire about free hands-only CPR training for groups, call 478-923-9771.