February is American Heart Month, and the efforts of several Ascension locations to create awareness of the importance of heart health have been featured in local news outlets recently.

“Our facility going red is the first of many ways that our hospital is recognizing heart month and raising awareness of heart disease,” Gordon Ferguson, President and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, told the Rutherford County Source. “In just a few weeks, we will launch a cardiac surgery program at our facility, allowing a multitude of patients to receive the type of heart care they critically need. We are thrilled to see our heart program grow to care for patients and their families in Rutherford and surrounding communities.” 

Throughout February, the hospital’s heart team will be educating the community on cardiovascular health and hands-on CPR to reduce the risks for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, about 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests pass away. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. We are grateful for the opportunity to educate our community on this lifesaving care.