By Nathan Howell / Staff Writer

BIRMINGHAM– Brookwood, Princeton and Shelby Baptist Medical Centers started lighting sections of their campuses in red on Feb. 1 for National Go Red Day, the official kickoff for Heart Month.

Heart Month is an annual initiative for hospitals and organizations to spread awareness about heart health and “encourage and motivate everyone to adopt heart healthy behaviors together,” according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

“Our goal is that the red light will spotlight the issue in our community, bringing it to the forefront of the conversation,” said Tim Puthoff, CEO of Brookwood Baptist Health. “But the light is just a small piece of what we have planned to spread awareness during the month.”

Brookwood Baptist Health will host a multitude of free seminars across their campuses on heart health throughout the month on topics women’s heart health, treating atrial fibrillation and the benefits of Cardiac MRI.

Heart disease is responsible for nearly one in every four deaths in the United States and 315 deaths per every 100,000 people in Shelby County, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Although the statistics are staggering, the good news is that heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and work with a physician to manage their risk factors,” said Puthoff.

Brookwood will also provide patients with healthy options to address heart health which include providing free blood pressure screenings.

The hospital offers a plethora of heart related services including cardiovascular imaging, surgery and rehabilitation.

More information about the services and events offered by Brookwood Baptist for Heart Month can be found at Brookwoodbaptisthealth.com