FTI Goes Red for Heart Health

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that a person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. February is American Heart Month, an opportunity to raise awareness and share education surrounding heart disease prevention.

Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI) proudly supports the American Heart Association and its mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. During the month of February, FTI team members were encouraged to go red. Wearing red allowed our team members to show their support and help raise awareness for living a heart healthy life, honor those who have survived cardiovascular disease, as well as honor those who have lost their lives. Wearing red also encouraged some to open up about how cardiovascular disease may have affected them personally – unfortunately many of us know at least one person who is affected by this disease.

Educating team members on the signs and symptoms of heart disease is especially important. We took some time this month to explain “silent” heart attacks – what are they and how can they be misconstrued as something other than a heart attack. Also known as a Silent Myocardial Infarction (SMI), a silent heart attack refers to a lack of blood flow to the heart that occurs without pain, often associated with blocked arteries. As a result, the heart attack goes unnoticed, and a person may not seek help. Of the estimated 805,000 heart attacks each year in the U.S., a projected 170,000 of them are silent heart attacks, according to statistics from the American Heart Association.

Not only did FTI team members showcase their red, they also sported their favorite flannel attire to support the annual Flannel Check campaign. Flannel Check promotes early detection of diseases and cancer, encouraging individuals to schedule annual physicals and health screenings to aid in early detection. As the campaign explains, many illnesses have their own color for awareness, so flannel and plaid patterns bring attention to many illnesses in one place.

Another sobering statistic is that nearly one in five Americans haven’t seen a doctor in over five years. At FTI, annual biometric screenings have been offered to team members for almost 20 years at no cost. Offering free screenings via multiple avenues encourages team members to be proactive in their health. Screenings can be completed with a physician, at a patient service center, with an at-home kit or during an onsite appointment. These biometric screenings have resulted in numerous positive stories from our team members and their spouses, uncovering underlying health issues they didn’t realize they had. This allowed them to follow up with their doctor to get the additional tests and treatment they may need.

When it comes to heart health, or overall health for that matter, taking action sooner rather than later is essential in order to prevent possible serious health concerns. With campaigns like Wear Red and Flannel Check, FTI encourages employees to be aware of and take action to be their healthiest selves.