September 30 was World Heart Day and the theme this year was to team up for healthy hearts. And hence, stars descended that day at The Institute of Preventive Cardiology (IPC) Foundation, a pioneering NGO under India's first woman Preventive Cardiologist Dr Pratiksha Reeg Deb to curb growing epidemic of silent killer disease -- Heart Attack.
Young music director Reeg Deb rendered the Global Heart Anthem with actual heartbeats being the background score, actors Payal Rohtagi, Aryan Vaid, Aman Verma, DJ Vipin, Pretti Jain, Ustad Raza Ali Khan, Nilima Azim, music directors Santok Singh and Reeg Deb, singer Rahul Seth, Indian Idol's favourites Panna Gill, Shweta, Neha and Shantanu, Mrs India Shilpa Singh, and regaled heart patients who forgot their ailments and enjoyed the happy occasion where the celebs with a heart more than made their day along with Dr Pratiksha.
Said Payal Rohatgi, "It is important to be aware of your risk factors for heart disease and to be sure you are showing love for your heart. All you have to do is exercise, eat healthy, and stop smoking." Incidentally, Payal had begun to smoke herself after a scene in Corporate where she had to rehearse and it took her sheer willpower to kick the killer weed. Payal shared her experience with the audience.
Aryan Vaid, a fitness freak who believes in healthy living added, " The good news is that heart disease is largely preventable and low-cost and straightforward steps that can be taken to reduce the major risk factors are of great help to the common man. Controlling these helps the heart age more slowly and dramatically reduces the risk of heart disease. Healthy thinking leads to healthy heart."
Said Dr Pratiksha, "It is better to celebrate and spread the message of healthy heart than giving sermons and lectures. The patients being victims of heart attack and heart failure wanted to spread message that attack the heart attack before it attacks you, and that prevention is better than cure. The Celebes and singers expressed that singing keeps away one away from stress, improves oxygenation in lungs and helps keep heart problems at bay. So sing dance be merry, eat right, sleep tight and exercise in spite of your hectic schedule at least three times a week to prevent heart ailments."
Aman Verma was happy at meeting with the heart patients and felt that if his presence could make a difference to one person and bring a smile to an ailing individual that made the vital difference. "I am as ecstatic as you all," he said with a heart-winning smile.
Ustad Raza Ali Khan, grandson of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb, regaled audiences with his ghazals that lightened the hearts of the audiences while Panna Gill sang songs from his latest album Panna, wherein his video is an anti-drug one with a message.
Dr. Pratiksha Reeg Deb of Institute of Preventive Cardiology that is making all efforts to create awareness about prevention of heart diseases, "celebrating this day is a great way to stay clear of all heart ailments. By focusing on preventive approach, cardiac ailments can witness a downward trend and today's event is a step towards that."
The highlight of the event was that the heart patients were thoroughly enjoying the event and cheering up the stars who had come specially to perform for them. Such was the euphoria that many among them took to the stage to croon some of their favorite Bollywood numbers thus adding spice to the whole event.
