Meeting Waters YMCA, New Hampshire Public Television and Vermont Public Television, are teaming up to present “The Hidden Epidemic: Heart Disease in America.” The show will present a comprehensive picture of the complex physiological, psychological and social factors that drive the alarming prevalence of heart disease in America today.

On Wednesday, February 14th at 9:00 PM, Vermont Public Television (Monday, October 19th at 9 on NHPTV) will air a one-hour documentary which will include a follow-up discussion hosted by Larry King of CNN’s Larry King Live and the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. The discussion will feature medical experts who will provide strategies for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

The program is the first in a four-part series created through a national partnership between Public Broadcasting System and YMCA of the USA, the national resource center supporting the 2,617 independent YMCAs in America. The series was developed in support of each organization’s public health campaigns–“Take One Step” from PBS and “Activate America” from YMCA of the USA.

One Wednesday, February 21st at 10:00 AM, Sue Fortier of the Meeting Waters YMCA will host a discussion on lifestyle choices and local resources to help prevent heart disease. Fortier serves as MWYMCA’s Senior Program Director and as Coordinator of its new Activate Windham County public health initiative.

At 9:00 AM on the 21st, MWYMCA will offer two activities related to heart disease prevention. Anyone who chooses can participate in the MWYMCA’s ongoing Active Older Adults exercise program for people 50 years and older. At the same time, those who missed the PBS-YMCA special “The Hidden Epidemic: Heart Disease in America” can choose to watch a re-airing.

Both of these events and the discussion to follow at 10:00 take place at the Meeting Waters YMCA’s Bellows Falls’ facility on Atkinson Street. All are free and open to the public. One does not need to attend either of the 9:00 AM events in order to participate in the discussion at 10:00.

Future YMCA-PBS health education documentaries will air in April, June and August. Topics for these specials are obesity, cancer and depression. As part of Activate Windham County, Meeting Waters YMCA will host re-airs and discussions related to each topic.

For more information about “The Hidden Epidemic” events or Activate Windham County, please visit www.meetingwatersymca.org, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the Meeting Waters YMCA office nearest you (Brattleboro: 246-1036; Bellows Falls: 463-4769 or Springfield: 885-8131).