LEWISTON – The Central Maine Medical Center Woman’s Hospital Association will host Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute Cardiac Prevention Director Pam Hageny and a rebroadcast of “Take Heart: A Life-Changing Approach to Heart Health for Women,” on Wednesday, March 3.

Since launching the Women’s Heart Advantage program in February 2003, the institute has hosted a variety of activities to promote awareness of heart disease and its risk factors among women in the community.

The Take Heart consumer broadcast experts discussed the latest information on women and heart disease for 50 minutes. The panel featured:

C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, a cardiologist who serves as director of the Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center and medical director of women’s health at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and is the national clinical spokeswoman for the VHA Women’s HeartAdvantage Program.

Kathy Smith, a fitness expert who has helped millions of people throughout the world start exercising and make healthier lifestyle choices with her series of books and videos.

Kathy Kastan, a heart bypass survivor at the age of 42 and president of WomenHeart, a national coalition for women with heart disease.

Hageny is responsible for planning, development and implementation of regional population-based health promotion, education, screening and outreach programs.

She serves as a director of the Maine Cardiovascular Health Council, is chairwoman of the Policy Committee and is an active member of other working committees. Hageny was recently appointed to the state Legislature Commission to Study Public Health.

The association luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, in Conference Room I, second floor of 12 High Street. The registration fee of $8 includes a heart healthy lunch. For information about the association or to register for the luncheon, call 795-2295.

Free cardiovascular risk screenings will be available, which include free cholesterol tests, personalized health risk assessment and recommendations for lifestyle changes on the following dales: March 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Conference Room D; March 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Conference Room D and March 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. in Conference Room D.