The Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care will be inviting community members and employees to join in a robust number of free events to learn and enjoy the benefits of a healthy heart.

On February 4, Montefiore leadership will officially kick off Heart Month activities at the Moses Campus with a special ceremony at 10 am followed by a group walk of the “Montefiore Mile,” a designated indoor, one-mile track.

“Montefiore is a leader in providing innovative therapies and clinical best practices for adult and pediatric heart disease patients,” said Robert Michler, M.D., professor and chairman, Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Montefiore, co-director of The Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care and professor of cardiovascular & thoracic surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “We are passionate about Heart Month and helping people learn how important it is to lower their risk of heart disease.”

Montefiore’s Heart Month program offers a wide variety of events in both the Bronx and Westchester, including heart healthy screenings, healthy eating and cooking demonstrations and educational talks. A full schedule of Heart Month events can be found at www.montefiore.org/heartmonth.

 “Prevention is key to being heart healthy – eating right, exercising regularly and working with doctors on personalized care plans can improve one’s quality of life and longevity,” said Mario Garcia, M.D., chief, Division of Cardiology at Montefiore, co-director of The Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care and professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “It is never too late to try to improve your heart health through small and incremental lifestyle changes.”

The Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care offers a comprehensive approach to treating heart disease, including the most complex medical procedures; a tradition that began in 1957, when the medical center performed its first open-heart surgery. The Center continues to be a national leader in offering the ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) procedure to treat both adults and children.

To learn more about The Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care and heart healthy tips, follow @MontefioreNYC on Twitter and use the hashtag #MonteHeart. Additional information also will be available on Montefiore’s Facebook and YouTube pages.