EASLEY — What is the number one killer of women in South Carolina? Angela Reid, RN, asked the members of the Fort Prince George Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) that question.

“If you think it’s breast cancer, you’re wrong,” she said. Reid, a nurse for more than 30 years, now manages the Abundant Living and Community Services Program for Baptist Easley Hospital.

Abundant Living is a hospital-supported, church-based wellness program designed to inform congregations throughout Easley and our surrounding communities about health issues and valuable services in our area.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in South Carolina,” said Reid.

Heart disease and stroke account for 27.9 percent of all female deaths in South Carolina, and that equates to 5,400 deaths per year. The heart is about the size of a man’s fist and typically pumps more than 100,000 times a day to circulate 4,300 gallon of blood throughout the body each day.

Reid was advising DAR members how to control the risk factors of a heart attack. In South Carolina, 63 percent of females are overweight. If you are overweight, it could be because you are eating foods high in fat and sugar, and this can affect your cholesterol. Reid’s advice: “start a healthy diet and exercise, and if you smoke, quit.”

Signs of a heart attack include discomfort in the chest and one or both arms. Women also experience pain in the back, neck or jaw. There can also be shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort. Another sign is nausea or vomiting, a cold sweat, feeling lightheaded or fainting. Fatigue or weakness can be another symptom that your heart is not functioning properly.

Baptist Easley offers a variety of health education and health promotion activities at the hospital and in the community. For more information on community services offered by Baptist Easley, you can visit www.baptisteasley.org and click on Community.

“If you are a woman who does not have health insurance, is 47 to 64 years of age and meet certain annual income guidelines, you can get a free heart disease risk assessment from the Best Chance Network,” Reid said. The Best Chance Network offers women free screening for a clinical breast exam, a pelvic exam, mammogram, and pap smear. They also offer cholesterol and diabetes tests. The Best Chance Network operates in conjunction with the Joseph Sullivan Center at Clemson University. The Joseph Sullivan Center acquired a mobile health unit in order to provide outreach to rural and under-served communities. To find out if you are eligible for a free screening, call the Joseph Sullivan Center at (864) 656-3076.

Hope Kateman, Regent of the Fort Prince George chapter, said that she feels fortunate to live in Pickens County.

“It is wonderful that our community has Baptist Easley Hospital and their staff who not only take care of us when we’re ill, but who come out into the community to educate us so that we can stay well,” she said.

DAR is a women’s service organization that encourages patriotism, promotes historic preservation and provides educational opportunities. The Fort Prince George chapter meets at the Capt. Kimberly Hampton Memorial Library in Easley.