Richland, Wash. — Dennis Sheehan lowered his cholesterol score from 174 to 117 and needs less insulin to treat his diabetes. His wife, Kathy Sheehan, lost 13 pounds without feeling hungry.
The Benton City couple accomplished those health goals through the eight-week Coronary Health Improvement Project (CHIP), a program sponsored by Kadlec Medical Center and Washington State University Tri-Cities.
The Seehans and 70 others will graduate from the CHIP program at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 29, at WSU Tri-Cities, 2710 University Drive in Richland. The class is upstairs in the Consolidated Information Center, Room 216.
CHIP teaches how lifestyle changes can lead to significant health improvements. It’s designed for those struggling with — or wanting to prevent — heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and adult-onset diabetes.
“The thing that surprised me was finding out how many different kinds of whole foods you can eat and how they react to overall health, like fiber and the right kinds of carbohydrates,” said Dennis Sheehan, 61. “It’s worth it.”
CHIP sessions are held each spring and fall. People interested in the next CHIP session should call Kadlec Medical Center at (509) 942-2600 to put their names on a pre-enrollment list. Cost is $300 per person or $425 for a couple.
There are about 400 CHIP program graduates in the Tri-City region and 40,000 graduates worldwide. See www.chipusa.org for more details on the health education program.
