On Saturday, Feb. 18 at noon, Race Matters inc. will begin a free six-week course on understanding and controlling high blood pressure on Saturdays from noon until 1 p.m., Feb. 18 through Mar. 25 at First Church of God in Christ, 1009 Tuckahoe Road, White Sulphur Springs.
The class will be led by Loretta Young, executive director of Race Matters Inc. and Karen Winkfield RN, a community health worker based in Greenbrier County. The pair will be joined each Saturday by a variety of healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and others who will help students understand the causes of hypertension, treatment options and how they can make good lifestyle choices to combat the disease and take control of their own health.
“The prevalence of high blood pressure is much higher among West Virginians than those living in other parts of the United States and nearly twice as high in African American and Latinx communities,” said Loretta Young, “so a class like this is vital to the health of our local minority and rural population.”
Young said the class participants will be provided with tools to help measure and track their blood pressure. In addition, participants will receive recipes and prizes each week. The class is free to anyone who needs it. Those wishing to learn more or who would like to register for the class should go to www.racematterswv.org or call Karen Winkfield at 304-661-3234.
