American Heart Month shines spotlight on heart health

• Scott LaMar/WITF
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

3D Illustration Concept of Human Internal Organs Circulatory System Heart Anatomy

Airdate: Wednesday, February 2, 2022

February is American Heart Month — a time to bring attention to heart health and the steps that everyone can take to fight heart disease.

More than 880,000 people have died in the U.S. after the contracting the COVID-19 virus in the past two years. That’s roughly the same number that die from heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease in a year’s time. Illnesses related to the heart are still the nation’s number one killer. COVID has actually made it worse. Deaths from heart disease and stroke have risen significantly since the pandemic began.

The American Heart Association is encouraging Americans to take back their health this month and will identify strategies to do that on Wednesday’s Smart Talk.

Appearing on the program are Larissa Bedrick, Communications Director for the American Heart Association in Harrisburg and Dr. Rhian E. Davies, DO MS FACC FSCAI, Interventional Cardiology, WellSpan Health – York.

The Associated Press and WITF’s democracy reporter Jordan Wilkie are partnering to tell stories about how Pennsylvania elections work, and to debunk misinformation surrounding elections. 

Read the stories here