Blood pressure, Christian Church, Christian faith, preventative action,
Monday, 4 October 2010
The UCKG helped 524 local people towards a healthier lifestyle by providing a blood pressure testing station at the Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park as part of this year’s Know Your Numbers! Week. This is the Blood Pressure Association’s annual blood pressure testing and awareness week.
It is important for people to know about their blood pressure because high blood pressure is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes and a contributory factor in kidney disease, dementia and some eye conditions.
Fortunately the risk can often be reduced through treatment or preventative action such as small changes in diet and more exercise. The Blood Pressure Association also recommends regular blood pressure checks and consulting a GP if necessary.
The testing station at the Rainbow Theatre was staffed by volunteer nurses from UCKG HelpCentres across London. Buyiswa Mofokenge, the senior nurse there was extremely impressed by the number of participants, drawn from many different walks of life. “I was encouraged by the fact that lots of them intended to take action as a result of the advice we provided.” she said.
“Some people even returned for our last session to see if they had already made a difference to their blood pressure, having changed a few bad habits. I have never seen such determination before. It is good when people recognise that their health is in their hands and it’s defined by their lifestyle.”
A typical attendee, 18-year-old Sama Sundifu of Finsbury Park, found that her blood pressure check was a real eye opener. She said “I didn’t think blood pressure was a big deal, but the crowd of people queuing at the Rainbow Theatre caught my attention and made me curious about mine. I learnt what I should stop eating and how important regular exercise is.”
Cynthia Gbegnedji, another of the volunteer nurses at the UCKG’s blood pressure testing station, added: “Many people who came to us were quite unaware of their blood pressure numbers and were taken by surprise. Having advised quite a few to visit their doctors on the strength of their results, I believe that these awareness events are critical and potentially lifesaving.”
Note to editors:
UCKG is a Christian church and registered charity that offers a range of practical support activities alongside spiritual support and comfort. It reached the UK in 1995 and has gone from strength to strength, providing support and spreading the Christian faith. There are 36 UCKG HelpCentre branches in England and Wales.
For further information please contact the UCKG HelpCentre Press Officer via e-mail on press@uckgnew.org or call 020 7686 6033.
