PETERSBURG, Va. β The Petersburg Family YMCA has installed permanent blood pressure monitoring machines in its main lobby as part of a partnership with the American Heart Association to improve community health access.
The machines are part of a larger initiative to place blood pressure monitors in 15 YMCAs across Central Virginia. The Greater Richmond YMCA started with three locations in Petersburg, Tuckahoe and Manchester.
For Neci Hill, a group fitness instructor at the Petersburg YMCA who teaches dance classes, the convenient access to blood pressure monitoring is particularly important.
"For myself, it's just something that is genetic," Hill said. "I've had high blood pressure to my knowledge since my 20s, so I've been on medications since then."
Hill has experienced serious health scares related to her condition.
"I've had a couple of health scares where I've had to go to the emergency room for my high blood pressure being up to almost stroke level," Hill said.
The blood pressure machines allow Hill to monitor her numbers regularly without disrupting her routine at the YMCA, where she finds joy in teaching dance fitness classes. For Hill, dance serves as both exercise and stress relief.
"Dance for me is just a stress reliever. I just tell everyone to leave your worries on the dance floor," Hill said. "It doesn't seem like exercise even though it is exercise, but it's just a good time and it's fun."
Rima Zabian, the Greater Richmond YMCA's executive director of advancing whole health, said the blood pressure monitoring stations address a critical health need. High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks and strokes if left unchecked.
"And then with that information you can go to your PCP or doctor to talk about what they're seeing and what changes might need to be made," Zabian said.
Hill continues to work on managing her blood pressure and encourages others to be proactive about their heart health.
"The numbers were not where I wanted them to be, but you know it's a process," Hill said. "So I just continue to do what I have to do for myself to be the healthiest version of myself."
Hill emphasizes the importance of addressing high blood pressure before it becomes dangerous.
"It is a silent killer if it's not addressed properly," Hill said. "Take those steps so that you can begin to be healthier."
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