Heart 2020: Here are this year’s Heart Month activities (including a farmers market, selfie challenge, and more)
Updated: Feb. 12, 2020
Heart Month Lecture Series
Join UT Southwestern's Division of Cardiology for a panel discussion exploring 2019 Prevention Guidelines: Update and Case Discussion on Friday, Feb. 28 at noon in D1.600 lecture hall. Hosted by Dr. Amit Khera, the panel will include five experts focusing on aspirin, nutrition, and exercise. Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP. bekah.abernathy@utsouthwestern.edu to reserve your spot.
February marks American Heart Month, and UT Southwestern will have several opportunities for those across campus to participate, raise awareness about heart health, and win amazing prizes – including a professional portrait session for one lucky winner! You’ll find details listed below, but check back for more activities to be added soon.
National Wear Red Day
National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 7; show your support by wearing red for women’s heart health.
Heart Month Health Fairs (including the first ever UT Southwestern Farmers Market!)
Join us 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 7 and Feb. 14 for the Heart 2020 employee health fairs. Experience various stations to learn about wellness, exercise, mindfulness, and chat with one of UTSW's preventive cardiologists. Have your blood pressure and body fat percentage measured and join a heart-healthy cooking demonstration. Great giveaways, including cutting boards, recipe cards, and water bottles, will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.
The Feb. 7 health fair will include the first ever UT Southwestern Farmers Market, providing organic produce for purchase, along with the vegetables used in the recipe from the cooking demonstration.
Mark your calendars:
- Friday, Feb. 7, Bass Administrative and Clinical Center Food Court
- Friday, Feb. 14, South Campus Food Court
If you are unable to attend, visit the UTSW Facebook Page for a Facebook Live broadcast from the fairs.
Heart Month Photo Contest
Take a walk to your favorite place on campus, snap a photo, and submit for a chance to win a professional portrait session!
Do you have a favorite spot on campus? It could be a comfortable seat in the library, a visiting food truck or vendor, a work of art (the Chihuly sculpture, perhaps), or the indoor walking path at Bass. Whatever it is, we want to see you there, and we want to know about it.
This Heart Month, we'll share those beautiful walkable – or rest-able – places throughout the UTSW footprint (not just the main campus – in Fort Worth and Richardson, too). So:
- Walk to your favorite spot.
- Snap a picture of you making a heart symbol with your hands that shows you with your favorite view.
- campus.updates@utsouthwestern.edu it to us at Campus Updates. Include your name, department, and a few words about your favorite place.
- We'll compile the submissions into a Center Times Plus gallery, and one entrant will be selected at random to win a professional portrait photography session! Three additional random winners will score a Heart Month swag pack.
Check out last year's gallery for a little inspiration!
Submit your entry by Friday, Feb. 14, and look for the gallery posted online the following week. This is the perfect opportunity to update your social media profiles with your picture taken by our own photographer of the UTSW stars.
Special delivery prize to the winner of the 5 Million Steps Challenge!
Question: Who wouldn’t want breakfast tacos delivered to them by none other than Dr. John Warner, Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs?
Answer: We thought so.
Get ready to walk your loafers off, because this year’s Heart Month Step Challenge is getting supercharged. The idea is for employees to collectively walk (and track) their steps on Thursday, Feb. 27. This year, the competition is open to the entire campus – with even higher stakes: the step goal is a combined 5 million steps.
The individual with the most steps will receive a breakfast taco delivery from Dr. John Warner, Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs. Yes, really – he’ll bring breakfast to you to share with your team (check out the scene from last year).
We need everyone’s help to reach that 5 million, so here's how to participate:
- Track your steps throughout the day (Feb. 27, midnight - 11:59 p.m.) using a fitness tracker (Fitbit, pedometer, tracking app on your mobile phone).
- If you have an iPhone, open the health app that’s automatically installed on your phone. Your step count for the day will be listed on the main dashboard if you have enabled motion tracking. To enable motion tracking, go to Settings > Privacy > Motion & Fitness and toggle Fitness Tracking on.
When you’re finished, log your steps at utswmed.org/steps. You must log your steps by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27.