By Jason KUROSU

The crowning of the King and Queen of Hearts has become a tradition at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center. The goals of the annual event are to promote heart health to help those suffering from cardiac disease as well as providing knowledge of prevention and resources to the community.

The 20th annual event on Thursday featured a variety of free tests available to the general public, including peripheral vascular screenings, carotid artery screenings, blood glucose tests, blood pressure tests and more.

Michelle Galanti, hospital manager of Cardiac Fitness & Non-Invasive Cardiology, said that the event serves the purpose of promoting healthy living to those with heart conditions.

“We want to demonstrate to the community that there is life with heart disease,” said Galanti, who oversees the hospital’s Cardiac Fitness Center, where patients rehab, exercise and learn how to monitor their own heart health.

Galanti stressed the importance of “total body health.” This was evident by the information booths available Thursday morning, many of which may have seemed peripheral to heart health at first glance. But wound care, palliative care and spiritual health were all parts of the event, demonstrating the totality of factors that determine a person’s overall health.

In addition, Drs. Harry Balian, Matthew Tenser and Lawrence O’Connor delivered lectures on important issues in heart health.

Afterwards, the Kings and Queens of Hearts were crowned, five members of the community who have recovered from serious heart conditions. The 2015 Kings and Queens were Jim Hsieh, Lourdes McKim, Bransom Mukhtar, Manny Paiva and Allan Soken.

“We want people to know that the community is part of our family and this is their home hospital,” said Galanti. “We want to heal with humanity. It is very important to keep in mind that we are treating a person, not a disease, and that requires us to deliver compassionate care, not just skillful care.”

  Jason Kurosu