Elizabethtown, NY – When Catherine Sprague started feeling more tired than usual, she didn't think much of it.

She was occasionally short of breath, but nothing seemed serious. Like many people, Sprague assumed it was just part of getting older and staying busy.

Still, something didn't feel right.

That feeling led her to attend a free community health screening at University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital earlier this year. What was found likely saved her life.

A routine EKG showed Sprague had suffered a "silent" heart attack weeks or even months earlier. Additional testing revealed heart failure, a serious condition that required immediate treatment.

Today, Sprague is encouraging others not to ignore the opportunity to get screened.

"I probably wouldn't be here today if I didn't go to that screening," Sprague says "I felt mostly fine. I never imagined something that serious was happening."

Her story is one reason Elizabethtown Community Hospital is inviting residents to attend its upcoming free Fall Health Screenings:

Ticonderoga
Wednesday, September 9
2 to 5 pm
101 Adirondack Drive

Elizabethtown
Thursday, September 10
2 to 5 pm
75 Park Street

The events are free, open to the public and no appointment is necessary. Participants can receive blood pressure checks, glucose and cholesterol testing, oxygen checks, vision evaluations, body mass index measurements and EKGs to assess heart health. Regional community partners will also be on-site with health and wellness information.

For Jun Chon, MD, chief medical officer at Elizabethtown Community Hospital, Sprague's experience highlights an important lesson.

"If we just go by how we actually feel, it just might be too late," Chon said. "Many potentially serious conditions develop slowly and don't always cause symptoms that seem alarming. That's why preventive screenings are so important. They can help identify problems before they become life-threatening."

The screenings are timed to help residents prepare for an active fall and winter season, whether that means hiking, hunting, skiing, snowshoeing or simply staying healthy and independent.

"Many people put their own health on the back burner because they're busy taking care of family, work and everything else life throws at them," says Jodi Gibbs, quality and community benefit coordinator at Elizabethtown Community Hospital. "These screenings are a quick and easy way to learn more about your health and connect with resources that can help you stay well. We hope people will take advantage of this free opportunity."

For Sprague, the message is simple.

"Go," she says. "Even if you think you're okay, go. It could make all the difference."

For more information, call 518-585-3761 or visit UVMHealth.org/ECH.

University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital
75 Park Street
Elizabethtown, NY 12932

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About Elizabethtown Community Hospital

University of Vermont Health – Elizabethtown Community Hospital is a not-for-profit critical access hospital with locations in Elizabethtown and Ticonderoga and six community-based primary care centers serving Essex County and the Adirondack Park region. As part of a rural academic health system serving Vermont and northern New York, we provide essential emergency, inpatient, rehabilitation and specialty care close to home. Together, we deliver access to leading-edge technology, advanced treatment options and the highest level of compassionate care while addressing the critical needs and unique challenges facing our patients, their families and our employees.

About University of Vermont Health Network

University of Vermont Health Network is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.