FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Open Registration for Exercise Program to Fight #1 Killer of American Women

March 3, 2016 NEW YORK — Every Beat Counts: Hadassah's Heart Health Program™ opens 2016 registration for Every Step Counts: Hadassah's Walking Program, announced Ellen Hershkin, President, Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA). The virtual walk starts in Jerusalem, Israel and extends to Atlanta, GA, the site of Hadassah's 2016 National Convention. Every Step Counts is designed to engage and inform women of all ages that heart disease is preventable 82% of the time. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the #1 cause of death in American women, claiming more than 400,000 lives per year, or one life per minute. Heart disease claims more lives annually than the next three leading causes of death including all forms of cancer combined, with mortality rates steadily increasing for women 35-54.

The 2016 Every Step Counts program from April 11 to July 21 challenges women and men to wear pedometers, track their steps online through WalkerTracker.com, an online wellness solutions site, and walk their way to increased heart health. The program also teaches women to identify heart attack symptoms (which are often different for women) and seek prompt treatment. In 2015, Every Step Counts' participants logged in over 360,000 miles collectively. The 2016 virtual walking route is offered at three challenge levels: 5,000 steps/day, 8,000 steps/day and 12,000 steps/day.

Registration is open now at: my.hadassah.org/everystepscounts.

Hadassah National President Ellen Hershkin states, "Heart disease kills one in four women every year in the United States. Heart disease can also be a 'silent killer' – nearly 2/3 of women who died suddenly had no symptoms so education is a vital component of that prevention. Last year, as over 1,000 registrants walked 720 million steps, I am pleased to report that I was able to contribute over one million steps (570 miles) to the total."

Dr. Chaim Lotan, Director of the Cardiovascular Division at the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) in Jerusalem cautions, "All women should realize their potential risk, even those who are relatively young and have heart-healthy lifestyle habits – non-smokers who exercise regularly, drink modestly, eat nutritiously and control their eight, blood pressure, cholesterol and stress levels.