Grand Junction residents packed Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital this weekend for the annual Heart Health Fair, a high-energy event that brought doctors, nurses, and first responders together to fight the nation’s number one cause of death. With free screenings, hands-on CPR training, and eye-opening displays about sugar in everyday drinks, the fair delivered a clear message: heart disease doesn’t discriminate, but you can fight back.
Record Turnout Shows Community Is Ready to Act
Hundreds of people streamed through the doors on Saturday, many wearing red in support of American Heart Month. Organizers say attendance was among the highest ever, proof that western Colorado families are tired of losing loved ones to preventable heart conditions.
“We saw grandmas, college kids, construction workers, everybody,” said Katie Klima, chest pain coordinator at St. Mary’s. “People are finally understanding this can happen to them.”
The timing couldn’t be more urgent. Heart disease kills nearly 700,000 Americans every year, more than cancer and accidents combined, according to the latest CDC data. In Mesa County alone, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death.
Doctors Shatter the “Old Man’s Disease” Myth
One of the biggest moments came when Dr. Jennifer Springer, a cardiologist at Intermountain Health, dropped a truth bomb that silenced the room.
“I’ve treated heart attack patients in their twenties,” she told the crowd. “This is not just an old person’s problem anymore.”
Attendees learned that high blood pressure, diabetes, vaping, and chronic stress are driving heart attacks in younger adults at alarming rates. The American Heart Association now reports that nearly half of U.S. adults have some form of cardiovascular disease, many without knowing it.
Free blood pressure and cholesterol screenings revealed some shocking results on the spot. Several people discovered dangerously high numbers and left with same-day appointments to see a doctor.
Hands-On Training That Actually Saves Lives
The most powerful part of the day? Watching regular people learn CPR and how to use an AED in minutes.
Emergency responders guided participants through compression-only CPR while others practiced on mannequins. Every single person who stopped by the station walked away confident they could save a life.
“Thirty minutes here could mean the difference between someone coming home or not,” said a Grand Junction Fire Department instructor who has responded to too many cardiac calls.
The fair also featured a disturbing but effective display: popular drinks and snacks lined up with their actual sugar content shown in cubes. A large McDonald’s sweet tea? Forty-two sugar cubes. A Starbucks Frappuccino? Fifty-five. The visual made more than one parent rethink their family’s choices.
Simple Changes, Massive Results
Experts drilled down to the actions that matter most:
- Move your body 30 minutes a day, most days
- Eat real food, not processed junk
- Quit smoking or vaping, no exceptions
- Know your numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol, A1C
- Manage stress before it manages you
“These aren’t secrets,” Dr. Springer stressed. “This is basic maintenance for the only heart you’ll ever have.”
The fair ended with a sea of red shirts and a renewed sense of purpose. Families left with free blood pressure cuffs, healthy cookbooks, and most importantly, a plan.
Heart disease might still be America’s top killer, but Grand Junction just declared war on it, one screening, one compression, one better choice at a time.
This wasn’t just an event. It was a wake-up call wrapped in hope, delivered by a community that refuses to lose another parent, spouse, or child to something we can actually prevent.
What about you? Have you checked your blood pressure this month? When’s the last time you moved your body like your life depended on it? Because it does.
Drop your thoughts below, share this story with someone you love, and tag #OurHearts if you’re making changes this February. Together, we’re stronger than the number one killer.
