WARSAW, IND. – Feb. 4, 2025 – Surviving a heart-related event, or being diagnosed with heart disease, is a wake-up call that it’s time to take care of your health. And if you are a woman, then you are part of a growing sisterhood seeking heart-healthy lifestyle support in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio.
That’s why Parkview Heart Institute (PHI) created the Her Heart Support Network – to encourage women living with heart disease to live well and to inspire them with education and connection to other women through shared experiences.
Based at PHI in Fort Wayne, the monthly Her Heart support group serves women from across Parkview’s service area. Now, however, Kosciusko County women don’t need to drive that far to participate. Instead, they can meet closer to home, at Parkview Kosciusko Hospital (PKH), 1355 Mariners Drive, Warsaw, and connect with the Fort Wayne group virtually via Zoom.
Her Heart Support Network meetings take place every second Thursday of the month, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., in the third-floor Med/Surg Workroom at PKH. The free meetings offer useful information on heart health from Parkview experts, plus group activities and social support.
Melissa Buesching, Community Health Improvement leader for the hospital, facilitates the PKH meetings, managing the Zoom connection, coordinating any hands-on activities, and relaying questions from the PKH group to speakers during their presentations to the group in Fort Wayne. She works in partnership with PHI’s Her Heart Program Coordinator Jill Zahm, MSN, RN-C, AHN-BC, who plans and facilitates the Fort Wayne meetings.
Zahm and Buesching are excited that this new, virtual support group option will enable more Kosciusko County women to be actively involved in improving their quality of life. February is American Heart Month, so Zahm and Buesching want to remind local women that there’s no time like the present to get started.
“We strive to make these meetings uplifting, practical and informative so women can leave feeling encouraged, supported and better equipped to take care of their heart health,” said Buesching.
“Women who join the group can expect to be encouraged, discover new strengths in themselves, connect with other people who understand the experience of living with heart disease, and learn about valuable health information and community resources,” said Zahm.
Participation in the support group is free, and no registration is needed.
Meeting dates for the first half of 2025
Feb. 13: Be your own valentine – Learn to be your own healthcare advocate while enjoying games and yummy treats.
Mar. 13: National Nutrition Month – Join PHI dietitians in celebrating National Nutrition Month with information on heart-healthy eating.
April 10: Ask the pharmacist – Kris Howard, PharmD, answers all your medication questions.
May 8: Women’s Check Up Night – National Women’s Health Week starts on Mother’s Day. This annual health observance encourages women and girls to make their physical, mental, social and emotional health a priority. Join us to learn about preventive screenings and vaccines. Body composition, bone density and blood pressure screenings will be available.
June 12: Emotional support needs when living with heart disease – Melinda Davis, MSW, LCSW, PHI counselor, will help the group explore the emotions that go along with life with heart disease.
July 10: Her Heart annual Family Gathering and Drum Circle – Join in the summer fun and games and healthy snacks.
The Her Heart Program at Parkview Heart Institute is made possible by generous donations to The Parkview Health Foundation.
Curious? Find out more
On Feb. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Zahm will visit PKH to chat with patients informally and answer questions about the Her Heart Program. She will be located at the specialty clinic on the third floor.
Zahm can also be reached with questions at [email protected] or 260-266-6153. More information is available at https://www.parkview.com/medical-services/heart/womens-heart-health.