The very first number of ladies have completed the center disease-fighting program Saving One Sister At a Time. They were feted for his or her Slim Xtreme accomplishments Monday, Nov. 4 at the community center at Piedmont Park.

It was at the public housing community that Winston-Salem State University launched SOSAT in the summertime. Ten women were recruited for that seven weeks of exercise, stress management and lessons in nutrition and self-esteem. SOSAT's goal, according to founder Wanda Lawrence, would be to lessen the inordinate number of black ladies who develop heart disease and have heart attacks.

"It concerned me that there wasn't enough detailed information online in the literature about African-American women with cardiovascular disease. I wanted to do something to educate people," said Lawrence, a WSSU Nursing professor.
Participants said they spread the wealth, educating their neighbors because they learned life-saving skills.

"I had my whole family participating," said Shaikea Green. "Each one of us has witnessed some kind of change over the past couple weeks. I'm grateful which i could not do it on my own but we were doing this as a team."
Participants had to have a food and workout log and invest in walking not less than 30 minutes a day. After the initial seven weeks, they continued the program by themselves for the next five weeks. Their weight, measurements and blood pressures were checked at the end of the program.

Leslie Cole signed onto get a grip on her high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. This program, she said, helped her slim down, that could go a long way in alleviating both chronic conditions.
"I don't eat much foods that are fried anymore. I bake a great deal with water instead of grease when cooking," she said.
Cole said exercise was her favorite area of the program because there was anyone to hold her accountable. (The women's workouts were guided by a trainer.)
"I don't ordinarily have someone there to create me get it done. As he was there, he made me do it. I needed to be pushed," she said.
Hazel Neely, president from the Piedmont Park Residents Council, said her community is much better off due to the program.
"It has been very informative, and that i can spread the data to other African-American women to prevent cardiovascular disease and heart attacks," Neely said. "The information was a huge plus in the city."
Last week's celebratory dinner featured remarks by Dr. Vanessa Duren-Wingfield, director of Research for the School of Health Sciences at WSSU, who encouraged the women to like themselves and called them "super divas" for sticking to the choice to make lifestyle changes.
Lawrence launched the grant-funded Saving One Sister At a Time after conducting focus groups with females in Forsyth and Guilford counties who'd Slim Xtreme Gold had heart attacks but were unacquainted with them until being relayed through a physician. Doctors say that these so-called silent cardiac arrest may portent a possibly deadly one down the line.
Lawrence asserted she's proud of the ladies for committing to lifestyle changes.
"Everyone of them has lost pounds or inches, even lowering their blood pressure level," she said.
Lawrence doesn't know when she'll perform the program again but she's looking to offer the program every semester.