What is Heart to Heart?

Heart to Heart is a FREE church-based community outreach program designed to raise awareness and provide the needed tools, support and education to guide women to healthier lives. The program includes heart risk screenings and a four-month program of health education, fitness and healthy lifestyle classes. To ensure the program is convenient and easy to access, all screenings and classes will be held at the participating church.

Who is Eligible?

Women aged 18 and older are eligible to participate in the heart risk screenings. Fitness and health education classes are open to all members of the participating church community, their family members and interested community residents.

What's Included?

The heart risk screening includes:

• Testing for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar

• Weight, and body mass index

• Based on results, an EKG may be done to establish a baseline of your heart’s activity

• One-on-one consultation with a nurse practitioner

 

Access to programs in the Saint Agnes well4life® program focused on fitness and health education, which include:

• Walking, yoga, low-impact aerobics

• Healthy meal planning

• Managing stress

• Controlling eating triggers

• Monthly support group sessions led by a behavioral health expert are included to help you sustain healthy lifestyle changes. 

What is well4life®?

well4life® is the first program of its kind in Maryland – and one of only a few in the country – to take a multidisciplinary approach to weight loss, exercise, lifestyle and mindset. It was created and is led by a team of specialists at the Maryland Metabolic Institute at Saint Agnes Hospital. This team includes physicians, nurses, health coaches, health educators, dietitians, behaviorists and fitness experts who partner with you to help you make lasting changes in the way you live and feel.
 

Our Sponsors

 

 

Contact Us

For more information on the Saint Agnes Heart to Heart Program, please call our program coordinator, Alicia Davies at 410.368.3443.

Partnering For A healthy Community

The AstraZeneca Healthcare Foundation created Connections for Cardiovascular Health in 2010, designed to support and award grant funding to organizations that are doing innovative work in the field of cardiovascular health. Saint Agnes is honored to have been chosen as a recipient. This new partnership will allow us to reach out, educate and empower women to make positive steps forward in their good health.

     

John Wilkie, Associate Minister, Central Church of Christ and Dr. Sahnnon Winakur, Medical Director of the Women's Heart Center.  Central Church of Christ is one of the first churches to participate in the Heart to Heart program.

How well4life® Can Help

Much more than just another diet, well4life offers a four-month, supervised approach to healthier living. In fact, research shows that these comprehensive services include the critical components that lead to successful weight loss and lifelong well-being.

The basic well4life® program includes:

• Health assessment by our nurse practitioner

• Biometric screening at the beginning and the end of the program, including body mass index, waist and neck circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and A1c (glucose)

• Group education classes on a range of topics – from healthy meal planning and label reading, to managing stress and controlling your eating triggers.

• Weekly group fitness classes – including walking, resistance training, yoga, low-impact aerobics and more – tailored to the needs and abilities of beginning to moderate exercisers

• Access to a personal health coach

• A monthly support group led by a behavioral health expert

• Access to the well4life web site to plan your meals, track your exercise, communicate directly with a nutritionist and personal trainer, take webinars on a variety of health topics, see exercise demonstrations and much more.

• Medical oversight by a nurse practitioner and a panel of physicians in various specialties