HOSPITAL HOSTS TALK ON HEARTS

The first in a series of community heart forums, sponsored by the Southeast Missouri Hospital Regional Heart Center, will be held Tuesday at the Advance Elementary School.

The forums will provide residents an opportunity to learn more about the benefits of a heart-healthy lifestyle and about Southeast's heart programs.

Other communities where forums will be sponsored this fall include Cape Girardeau on Oct. 1; Perryville on Oct. 8; Anna, Ill. on Oct. 22; and Dexter on Oct. 29.

The Advance program, which is free, will begin at 7 p.m. It is sponsored by the Advance High School Student Council, the Wednesday Study Club and the Regional Heart Center.

Participating in the program will be on of the Regional Heart Center's cardiovascular surgeons, a Cape Girardeau cardiologist, and Linda Heitman, Regional Heart Center coordinator.

Heitman said, "This is an informal community gathering. In addition to hearing about the latest heart treatment techniques available, participants are encouraged to bring along questions to ask the panel."

Area residents are also invited to call the Regional Heart Center's new toll-free information line for answers to heart-related questions and information about specific heart conditions.

The toll-free number is 1-800-455-4000 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. At other times, calls will be recorded by an answering machine, and a representative of the Heart Center will return the call.

"This information line is for just that information," Heitman said. "It is not a line to be used in the event of a medical emergency."

Topics to be covered at the community meetings include an update on current techniques for diagnosing and treating heart disease.

Mr. and Mrs. Norman Glaus of Cape Girardeau will also attend the meeting to acquaint participants with the local Mended Hearts program. The local chapter meets monthly at Southeast Missouri Hospital. Programs are designed to provide continuing education for heart patients, their families and the general public.

In addition, the group sponsors a visitation program to provide emotional support for new bypass surgery patients and their families.

In October, the Regional Heart Center will observe its seventh anniversary. Since 1984, approximately 1,400 open heart surgeries have been performed.