MEDIA ADVISORY: Dr. Ralph Snyderman, president of Duke University Health System and chancellor of health affairs at Duke, and Dr. Jean Spaulding, vice chancellor for health affairs, will assist in blood pressure screenings at the YMCA of Durham Thursday, Jan. 20, between 9 and 10 a.m. Reporters are invited to attend.

Duke University Health System and the YMCA, located at 218 West Morgan St., are coming together to offer blood pressure screenings to area YMCA members during a month-long health initiative. From now until Feb. 18, both the downtown and Lakewood YMCAs will offer members the opportunity to be screened for hypertension. The free screenings will be offered daily, except weekends, from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at both locations.

"A lot of people make exercise and health care their number one New Year's resolutions," Spaulding says. "We're expecting to reach out to a significant portion of those people who have renewed the commitment to improving their health."

Snyderman and Spaulding will participate Thursday in an effort to promote the health initiative and Duke's commitment to community health care.