NLIS 2
June 9, 2000
(Health and Community Services)

Ticker Tom

The cool cat Ticker Tom is back with some great heart health messages to share with the province�s children and youth.

The Ticker Tom Heart Health Program is a week-long fun and interactive program for children and youth ages six to 12 attending summer recreation programs. Ticker Tom is a fun cat whose messages focus on the benefits that eating healthy, an active life-style, and staying smoke free can have on heart health.

The original Ticker Tom Program was developed by the St. John�s Heart Health Coalition and implemented in summer recreation programs throughout the St. John�s area over the last three years. Due to the enthusiastic response to Ticker Tom, the program is being made available this year to children throughout the province through the provincial community-based Heart Health Coalitions.

The Minister of Health and Community Services, Roger Grimes, said: "I am pleased to report that the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program has invited the Teen Tobacco Team to partner in making Ticker Tom available to summer recreation programs province-wide." The minister also pointed out that it�s never too early to start making healthy lifestyle choices.

The Ticker Tom Program will be launched at the Provincial Parks and Recreation Conference on June 10, 2000. Recreation groups interested in implementing this program are asked to contact the Heart Health Coalition in their region.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program is aimed at improving health and reducing the rate of heart disease in the province. This program is a federal/provincial initiative which has been in effect since 1990.

Media contact: Melissa Watton, (709) 729-2788.

2000 06 09                                     11:55 a.m.