MEDIA RELEASE

May 9, 2011

Media Release

Canterbury Residents Invited For Free Blood Pressure Check

Foodstuffs is encouraging Canterbury residents to have their blood pressure checked for free on Saturday 14 May.

The free checks are available at all nine New World supermarket outlets in Canterbury and are part of the Stroke Foundation’s national ‘Down with Blood Pressure’ campaign to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke. The outlets are: Fendalton, Stanmore, Northwood, Bishopdale, South City, Rolleston, Halswell, Lincoln and Rangiora.

Foodstuffs NZ Managing Director Steve Anderson says, “Foodstuffs is delighted to be supporting the campaign by providing New World and PAK’nSAVE supermarkets as the locations for testing sites on the day.”

“This is a great opportunity for Canterbury people to have a quick, painless blood pressure check,” he says.

“We’re all so busy with families, work, sport and other activities that it can be hard to make the time for something as simple as a blood pressure check, and yet it could end up saving our lives. It’s easy for high blood pressure to go undetected. Foodstuffs is committed to helping the Canterbury community to stay healthy, and we’d really encourage you to come along on the 14 May for a free test.”

Anderson says information about blood pressure and other risk factors for stroke will be provided during the check, and people with raised blood pressure will be referred to their GPs for medical advice and treatment.

“The big thing is to know what your blood pressure should be, have it checked regularly, and remember that the lower your blood pressure the less likely you are to have a stroke” Anderson says.

ENDS

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