Heart disease runs in Jackie Hamilton’s family. That’s why she decided to sign up for sign up for an American Heart Association program to improve her health. It changed her life, and now she’s a volunteer coordinator for the Heart Association here in Denver.
“It holds me accountable,” Hamilton told Denver7. “I want to make sure I’m eating right, doing well and I want others to know that heart disease is preventable.”
Hamilton is one of the volunteers Denver7 is honoring this month with US Bank gift cards as part of our Making Things Possible program.
Hamilton says after her grandmother died of a heart attack and her father was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, she knew she wanted to do something to improve her own health.
“I wanted to do better, show my family with small changes you can do better,” she remembers. “Just eating better, walking more, shortening your sizes instead of having a double mac, just reduce what you’re having. Enjoy what you eat, but make healthier choices.”
Hamilton lost 20 pounds and started exercising more through the Go Red for Women Better U program, a 12 week wellness program that 12 women participate in each year to learn about all the small steps they can take to get healthier.
Now she’s recruiting more people to not only use the program to improve their own health, but volunteer with the American Heart Association as well.
“When people see the change and how excited you are about a program, they are welcome and they come along beside you and volunteer.”
You can click on this link to the American Heart Association’s website for more information on you can become involved in their programs.
