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Half of people in North
West fear loved ones could be struck down with heart disease
OVER three quarters of people in
the North West have someone in their family with risk factors that put them
greater risk of heart disease, according to new statistics released ahead of
the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) Wear it. Beat it. campaign to get the
nation wearing red to fight heart disease on Friday, 5 February 2016.
The BHF poll revealed 51% of people in the North West fear that a loved one
could be struck down with a potentially life threatening heart attack or
stroke in the future. 47% have already lost someone or know a loved
one affected by heart disease.
Despite this, 41% of people in the North West said although they might worry
about a loved one's health they're too afraid to talk to them about it.
78% of people polled in the region said they know someone in their family
with one of the major risk factors for heart disease. 51% knew someone
with high blood pressure, 37% knew someone with high cholesterol while 35%
knew someone who is overweight or obese.
Yet 45% of people in the North West say they're reluctant to talk about
health issues with loved ones for fear of upsetting someone.
Around 901,000 people are living with heart and circulatory disease in the
North West.
The BHF's Wear it. Beat it. campaign aims to raise £1million this February
5th to help fund new life saving research in the fight against heart
disease. The nation's heart charity is calling on everyone to wear red and
hold a fundraising event to help save more lives and protect more families
from the devastation of heart disease.
Since 2009 the campaign has raised over £6million towards new cardiovascular
science. Last year more than an incredible 23,000 people took part in Wear
it. Beat it. and the BHF is calling for even more of you to get involved
this year to help raise £1million for life saving research.
Sign up
online or call:- 0300 330
0645 and get your free fundraising pack full of fun ideas about how to get
involved.
Dr Mike Knapton, Associate Medical Director at the BHF, said:- "Heart
disease can strike anyone at any age, without warning. That's why it's vital
we do everything we can to reduce our risk and protect our hearts against
these devastating conditions. This survey highlights just how important it
is for us to talk about the UK's biggest killer with our friends and family.
Too many lives are cut short by heart disease every year. We urgently need
to accelerate research into finding new ways to fight it. By signing up to
Wear it. Beat it. you can help fund cutting-edge research to better
understand, treat and predict who is at risk."
For more information and to get your free fundraising kit visit:-
BHF.Org.UK/Red
or call:- 0300 3300645. |
