By Ruth SOWBY

On Feb. 19, health-conscience community members participated in health screenings, doctor lectures, education and information on preventive care at Glendale Memorial. The highlight of the morning’s agenda was the celebration of the 28^th Annual Kings and Queens of Hearts, each royal having participated in the hospital’s heart health management program.

Senior Queen Indira Jethwa, Junior Queen Teresa Fulper, Senior King Victor Adjemian and Junior King Christopher Flowers all went through their own journeys to heart health after having heart attacks. The common denominators among the royals were a having a healthy diet, losing weight and exercising at the hospital’s Cardiac Fitness Center. That’s where the coronations took place in front of an enthusiastic audience of several dozen. 

Before the coronations were a multitude of health screenings and education booths. A popular booth measured cholesterol. Lincoln Heights resident Ambreen Yousuf had her cholesterol tested by hospital clinical lab supervisor Melissa Arevalo. Arevalo said a cholesterol number under 100 is good. Another booth measured the presence or absence of plaque and other blockages of the carotid artery. Endovascular neurologist Dr. Elie Dancour, who had just lectured on strokes, got a clean bill of health after his imaging by Stella Martirosyan, Hospital Radiology Manager.

The CPR booth was standing room only. Burbank resident Nathaniel Ong said he comes every year to Glendale Memorial Hospital for health screenings and lectures. Bryan Lopez, American Heart Assoc. director of Development, advised Ong to begin CPR by checking the victim’s responsiveness or lack thereof and then starting chest compressions (in this case on a dummy) to keep the heart beating. Breathing into the victim’s mouth is no longer advised.  

Lopez said a goal of the American Heart Assoc. is to teach CPR to one million Angelinos before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.