On Thursday, Feb. 16, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Salem Health’s Heart & Vascular Center will host the annual Heart Fair and Forum at Salem Hospital, 890 Oak Street, Building “B,” Wedel Auditorium. This free event features health information booths and a keynote, “Belly Fat Impact on Heart Health,” with Dr. Raghu Kamineni and Dr. Kevin Thompson. Both cardiologists are board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. Free parking is available at the Building B north entrance, in the hospital parking structure or under Building A.

From 6 to 7 p.m. at the information fair, attendees will learn how sleep affects heart health, how to measure your body mass index and how exercise can lead to better health. The lecture by Drs. Kamineni and Thompson, which starts at 7 p.m., will follow. There will be a question and answer period from 8 to 8:30 p.m.

Advance registration is strongly recommended for this free community event. To reserve a spot, please visit salemhealth.org/chec or call 503-814-2432. This community program at Salem Hospital is just one of several Heart Month activities in February. Other events include free health screenings and heart healthy culinary events. For a detailed schedule, go to salemhealth.org/cardiac.

The Heart & Vascular Center is a part of Salem Health, which includes Salem Hospital, West Valley Hospital, Willamette Health Partners, and other affiliated healthcare organizations offering quality care to people in and around Oregon’s Willamette Valley.