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St. Luke's Hospital Brings National "Day of Dance for Health" Event to St. Louis

Dance demonstrations and health screenings provide easy "steps" for local families to take action for their health.

CHESTERFIELD, MO, February 26, 2009 - Zumba, belly dancing, hip hop and Hawaiian hula dance have a lot in common. They're all forms of dance, they're fun and they're good for your health. St. Luke's Hospital brings the national Spirit of Women Day of Dance for Health event to St. Louis for the first time ever to help local families enjoy getting active and taking action for their health.

St. Luke's Day of Dance for Health is Saturday, February 28, 2009 at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac (1335 South Lindbergh Blvd.) from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Screenings begin at 8:30 a.m.) It is a free, interactive healthy living event. Participants will dance their way to better health by learning fun, easy dance steps from instructors organized by Dance St. Louis. The event also includes a special performance, an excerpt from Kansas City Ballet Dances Twyla Tharp .

St. Luke's physicians and health educators will provide free health screenings, such as blood pressure, body mass index, bone density and pulmonary function screenings, and they will provide education on heart disease and other health information for women and their families.

"Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women," said Jan Hess, St. Luke's Hospital vice president. "The good news is that 80 percent of heart disease is preventable. St. Luke's Day of Dance provides the opportunity to get heart-healthy cardiovascular exercise, health screenings and lifesaving information."

St. Luke's Hospital joins 70 other Spirit of Women Hospitals across the country hosting similar events on the same day. Nationwide, more than 90,000 participants are expected to dance for their health. St. Luke's Hospital is the only Spirit of Women Hospital in the region. The Spirit of Women Hospital Network is a partnership of hospitals across the United States that aims to help women take action for their health and the health of their families.

About St. Luke's Hospital:
St. Luke's Hospital, located in Chesterfield, Missouri, is a premier, regional healthcare provider specializing in individualized care. The 493-bed, not-for-profit hospital offers more than 60 specialty areas including cardiovascular care and surgery, cancer care, neurosurgery and neurology, orthopedics, maternity and other women's health, general medicine, outpatient services, pediatrics and comprehensive surgical services. For more information, please visit www.stlukes-stl.com/newsroom .

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