Area kids learn the importance of heart health

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Some local children got to have a “heart to heart” so-to-speak with a few area doctors.

Columbus Cardiovascular Care hosted an event called “cardio for kids” Saturday morning.

The event focused on heart health and what to do in an emergency situation.

The children learned the basics of C-P-R as well as how to use an emergency AED kit.

Heart disease can affect men, women, and children as young as 10 years of age.

“A lot of times, if we don’t encourage our children to be mindful of their health, what they’re eating, what their weight is, how much exercise they’re doing and just general healthy lifestyle habits, they carry it into adulthood as I said before and they just don’t know. So, this is like a stepping stone for them to understand that their heart is important and you only get one. So, we want to take care of that one and let them have a long bountiful life,” said Baptist Memorial Golden Triangle Resident Chadwick Hayes.

A former Columbus police officer was also in attendance to teach the children about the importance of saying no to drugs.