Deborah Heart and Lung Center, in partnership with the Katz JCC, Cherry Hill, recently installed a self-check blood pressure machine adjacent to the Richard M. Klein Center for Wellness on the second floor of the JCC on Springdale Road.

“We are very excited about this addition to our Wellness Center,” said Brian M. Adler, JCC Assistant Director and Director of Fundraising and Development.

In the first few weeks of its installation nearly 200 visitors checked their blood pressure and body mass index, as well as scrolling through other services offered by the kiosk, including heart prevention, sleep disorders, leg pain, an eCookbook, women’s heart health, and find a physician.

JCC Marketing Director Stephanie Dworkin predicted that the sleek, compact machine would get its own “work out.”

“The JCC averages 1,500-2,000 visitors a day,” she said “and has an extensive Fitness and Wellness department, so we know this machine will see good usage with our members.  We also offer many programs and services that cater to older adults, including aquatics, yoga, Pilates and nutrition and wellness coaching services, so this is a natural extension of our health and wellness focus.”

Deborah’s Vice President for Marketing/Media/Public Relations, Lewis Clark, was excited about the new partnership.

“We are actively working to expand community outreach with preventive approaches to people getting to ‘know their numbers’,” he said. “This is a great way to bring health self-management to the community. This Heart Check Center kiosk provides accurate readings that are private and confidential, and offers an option to have these results shared to keep a running tally of the results.”

Dworkin agreed that easy access to blood pressure readings was a win-win for all. “We draw members from a large geographic area, Cherry Hill, Marlton, Voorhees, Haddonfield, and Collingswood. This kiosk offers access to a wide swath of people who are stopping in to work out who can also conveniently check their heart health.”

Clark said that prior to the Katz JCC, Heart Check Centers were installed at Matrixx Fitness in Atlantic City and the YMCA in Mt. Laurel.

“This self-monitoring is a great way to keep people’s blood pressure in a safe range, and offer health resources in case they need to make lifestyle changes to better manage their numbers.”