The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : A day marked by programmes filled with hearty life messages

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 01, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

A day marked by programmes filled with hearty life messages

Staff Reporter

‘Celebrate your heart’ is the theme of the propaganda; walkathons conducted to create awareness

’20-minute walk keeps a long smile on your face’

— Photo: K. Pichumani

FOR A CAUSE: Participants at the walkathon organised as part of World Heart Day by Madras Medical Mission in Chennai on Sunday.

CHENNAI: Several programmes to mark World Heart Day, with prevention rather than cure as their key message, were held on Sunday across the city. That nutrition and physical exercise were the key to lead a hearty life was another point that the events sought to emphasise.

The Madras Medical Mission (MMM) conducted several awareness programmes over the last week, including those for school and college students. On Sunday, it organised a walkathon to create awareness of the importance of healthy eating habits and exercise. Nearly 200 youth participated in the walkathon held in Anna Nagar.

The programmes came in the backdrop of an increase in the number of people prone to heart disease as per a survey of the Cardiological Society of India. Quoting from the survey, former president of the Society V. Chockalingam recently said that in the last 15 years, the increase has been from 3 per cent to 15 per cent of the total population.

Another walkathon to create awareness of healthy living and heart was organised by Lister Metropolis in association with Kaleesuwari Refinery.

“The purpose of the walk was to create awareness of heart care. People are aware of importance of healthy eating habits and exercise, but they need to be constantly reminded. Our theme was: 20-minute walk keeps a long smile on your face”, according to Nirmala Shrethar of Lister Metropolis.

The age group of the participants in the walk from the Labour Statue to the Gandhi Statue on the Marina was 17-75.

Seventyfive NCC cadets from various colleges also participated, Ms. Nirmala Shretharsaid.

Television actor Vijay Adhiraj and film director Suresh Krishna participated in the event.

Apollo Hospitals, as part of the World Heart day, organised a two-week-long awareness campaign on Sunday.

Pamphlets distributed

As part of the programme, volunteers distributed pamphlets to morning walkers on the Marina and Elliots beaches.

The theme that Apollo Hospitals is propagating this year to ‘celebrate your heart.’

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