Catholic Action League (CAL) in association with KMC Hospital organized a free heart check-up camp at St Sebastian Parish Hall, here on August 26.

The programme began with an invocation by the members of CAL.  CAL member Rashmi Peris welcomed the gathering.  The camp was inaugurated by Dr Padmanabh Kamath, Cardiologist, KMC Hospital, Mangalore by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais.

Addressing the gathering Dr Padmanabh said,  “Today you are  gathered here to check your heart, because it’s a free check up camp. This is not limited here just for a day, but everyone should start to have preventive health check-up at the age of 20, including a review of personal medical history, lifestyle and habits. In your 20s or 30s, the focus of your checkup is to get a baseline measure of your heart health, assess your risks for other diseases, and provides you with the information and tools to help you make healthy lifestyle choices. Evaluate your health risks, explore your concerns, and educate yourself  proactively improving your heart health at each stage of life.

He further said that prevention is better than cure, because if the person comes for regular check up, doctors will come to know the exact problem of a person and it is very easy to detect in the early stage, when it reaches to chronic stage doctors cannot cure the heart disease. If such a trend will continue, India will take the first position in the world in heart disease by 2020, he stated.

There were 230 registrations for the heart check up camp, which included the Lipid Profile,  Sugar Check- up,  Blood pressure check- up,  ECG, Cholesterol Check- up in the camp.

The Parish Priest of  St Sebastian Church Fr Antony Serrao, Vice President of The Parish Council Bendur Ronald Walder, Secretary of the Parish Council Bendur  Lavina John, Assistant  Parish Priest Bendur Fr John Baptist Moras  and the President of Catholic Action League Awin Eric Cutinha were also present on the dais.

CAL member Joel Fernandes compered the programme.  Awin Cutinha delivered the vote of thanks.