FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Truman Medical Centers Celebrates Healthy Eating

Healthy Living Begins with Healthy Eating

Kansas City , MO. – Truman Medical Centers (TMC) has long been committed to leading the way to a healthy community by providing health and wellness services and education to Kansas Citians. TMC will celebrate Healthy Eating Day in conjunction with the seasonal kickoff of the TMC Healthy Harvest Produce Market. Beginning Wednesday, April 21, and continuing weekly through September, fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods will be available for sale to patients, employees and the public at TMC’s Hospital Hill campus (East side of Charlotte and 23^rd Street) from 7 am to 4 pm.

“By offering a weekly fresh produce market, healthier dining choices throughout our facilities, removing unhealthy snacks and beverages from our vending machines, we walk the talk, encouraging our patients, our employees and our community to live healthier lives,” said President and Chief Executive Officer of Truman Medical Centers John W. Bluford.

For Healthy Eating Day, in addition to the fresh produce market, Subway Restaurant will be on hand distributing sandwich coupons and information about their “Scoop It” campaign, which is promoting a diabetes friendlier menu in nearly 200 Kansas City area Subway Restaurants. Representatives from Vitazest Vitamin Flavored Water, the official beverage of the Subway “Scoop It” campaign, will also hand out free bottles of water (while supplies last). The TMC Diabetes Center will provide information about lowering the risk of diabetes and performing pre-diabetes risk assessments. Morrison Healthcare Food Service will also serve great tasting and healthy menu items in the All Spice Cafeteria and Blossom on Third café inside TMC Hospital Hill.

“Subway is committed to helping Kansas City residents eat smarter by providing better choices and that is what the Subway Scoop It Diabetes Friendlier Menu is all about,” said Jeff Frahm, Subway Development agent for western MO and eastern KS. “We are proud to be affiliated with Truman Medical Center and their diabetes clinic. It is my hope that this singular test of a Diabetes Friendlier Menu will be extended and expanded so that other markets can benefit too.”

As a leader among regional health care facilities in promoting and supporting a healthy community, TMC recently opened an expanded Diabetes Center that provides an innovative, state-of-the-art approach to combating the epidemic of diabetes. Within this facility, there are the resources to offer patients physician clinic visits, diabetes, glucose meter and nutritional education classes, and testing capabilities for blood sugar, kidney and heart function and retinal photography all in one, convenient location.

“Truman Medical Centers is committed to finding real solutions for helping improve uncontrolled diabetes and helping our patient’s live healthier lives,” said Lamont Weide, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.E., Chief, Diabetes and Endocrinology. “Regularly eating healthy choices such as the fresh fruits and vegetables available at the produce market or diabetic friendly sandwiches at local Subway restaurants can help decrease the chance of obesity which is one of the leading causes of diabetes.”

Truman Medical Centers is a not-for-profit two acute-care hospital health system in Kansas City . The TMC Health System includes TMC Hospital Hill, TMC Lakewood, TMC Behavioral Health, the Jackson County Health Department and a number of primary care practices throughout Eastern Jackson County . Recently named one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, TMC is the primary teaching hospital for the University of Missouri-Kansas City Schools of Health Sciences and specializes in asthma, bariatrics, diabetes, women’s health, and trauma services. For more information, please call (816) 404-3785 or visit www.trumed.org

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