Contributing to more than one-third of all deaths in the United States, heart disease remains our country’s leading killer.  But despite a greater emphasis on prevention and education, many people know very little about the disease.  

On Feb. 2, the Center for HOPE will host a special breakfast to help people identify risk factors and learn ways they can keep their hearts healthy.  The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and is coordinated by Hearts of Hope – the Center’s new counseling and education program for those undergoing treatment for or recovering from heart disease. 

Attendees will be treated to a heart-healthy breakfast, and will have the opportunity to receive risk-factor assessments by Hearts of Hope Coordinator Laurel Carey, M.A.  Carey will also lead a discussion on lowering the risk of heart disease.  To commemorate the event, Darien Selectwoman Evonne Klein will present the Center for HOPE will a special proclamation.    

The Hearts of Hope Breakfast kicks off the Center for HOPE’s month-long National Heart Month celebration, and coincides with the American Heart Associations’ “Go Red for Women” awareness campaign.  The event is free and open to the public.  For more information or to register, call the Center for Hope at 203-655-4693. 

Hearts of Hope offers individual counseling, family/caregivers counseling and support groups to help cardiac patients and their families cope with the psychological issues associated with the disease.  Groups are regularly held at the Center for HOPE in Darien and Stamford Hospital.  Hearts of Hope also offers educational programs throughout the community. 

Celebrating its 25^th anniversary, the Center for HOPE provides comprehensive services for adults and children living with an illness or grieving a loss.  All counseling, support and education services are facilitated by specially-trained professionals in an atmosphere of hope and renewal.  The Center for HOPE is a division Family Centers – a private, nonprofit organization offering education and human services to children, adults and families in Fairfield County. The agency is also licensed by the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health.