Healthy Heart Event Draws Nearly 1,000 Across Region for Free Screenings

Nearly 1,000 residents took advantage of free, life-saving heart screenings offered at six Henry Ford Health locations April 26 through the Healthy Heart initiative.

Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital and Henry Ford Macomb Hospital hosted screenings for the first time, advancing a project that started in 2005 at Henry Ford Providence Southfield. Henry Ford Rochester Hospital, Henry Ford Genesys Heart and Vascular Center in Grand Blanc and Henry Ford Warren Hospital also participated in this year’s event.

“The Healthy Heart project was a huge success on many levels,” said Dr. Shukri David, chief of cardiology at Henry Ford Providence Southfield. “It’s Henry Ford Health reaching out to the community to say we are here to support you. We want our community to be healthy and these screenings are an integral part of our mission.”

For more than 20 years, this valuable community event has screened more than 10,000 Metro Detroit residents, including the 985 who turned out for the 2025 events. Screenings included an electrocardiogram (EKG), blood pressure screening, body mass index, blood glucose test, heart risk assessment, stroke assessment and consultation with a doctor.

Ecorse resident and retired nurse Rhonda Baker-Levingston said the event at Henry Ford Wyandotte provided testing that supplemented her regular cardiology appointments.

“I have health problems and sometimes, especially for seniors, it’s hard to get in. And for some seniors, they can’t afford it,” she said. “Testing is extremely expensive. This is free to the public, and so it’s a way for us to come in and be seen, be examined, have different testing done – because there are a lot of life-threatening things that people don’t even know that they have ... (like) diabetes, hypertension, heart disease.”

Over the years, the event has helped some residents detect life-threatening issues. Troy resident Joe Smith discovered he had atrial fibrillation and heart failure symptoms at last year’s Healthy Heart. He has since taken steps to improve his health, and he paid it forward by volunteering at this year’s event in Southfield.

“It saved my life,” Smith told media partner FOX 2, which helped launch the event with Henry Ford Providence Southfield officials more than two decades ago. “I’m so grateful that I came in last year.”

Wyandotte residents Rosa Garza and Kurt Lagerfeldt both attended their first Healthy Heart screenings this year after seeing reporting from FOX 2’s Deena Centofanti. The two struck up a fast friendship as they moved through testing at the Wyandotte location. 

“Instead of having to go to your doctor, you have everything get done at one time,” Garza said. “It’s really a great value.” 

Lagerfeldt added to his line buddy: “I’ll see you same time next year.”

Healthy Heart will return next year to provide even more much-needed services, all at no cost. Christian Fisher, a nursing administrator who led operations at the Wyandotte event, said the screenings make a tremendous difference for those who are not insured or may be struggling financially.

“The opportunity to see a doctor and maybe know if they’ve got to deal with something and catch it early, that’s paramount,” he said. “I think that part, more than anything else, is what you leave the day with – and we’ll be back next year.”

By the numbers:

• 985: Healthy Heart participants in 2025
• 6: Participating Henry Ford Health locations
• 360: Southfield participants
• 330: Participants at new locations in Wyandotte and Macomb
• 10,000+: Residents screened since 2005

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MEDIA CONTACT: mediarelations@hfhs.org