Mountain View, CA - September 19, 2011 - The Women's Hospital at El Camino Hospital and the South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital have partnered with WomenNow, America's first South Asian TV talk show to provide health information content for WomenNow's national television and online media. Included will be monthly 5-7 minute television segments on wide-ranging health topics for women and South Asians, including pelvic health, cancer and cardiology. Selected content also will be disseminated in an e-newsletter and via a variety of social media platforms.
"WomenNow reaches an important and growing segment of El Camino Hospital's constituents,” said Michele van Zuiden, Executive Director of The Women's Hospital at El Camino Hospital. "This opportunity to collaborate with them helps us better serve the diverse populations that make up our community - while also influencing national health care trends as a leader in women's health issues.” Ashish Mathur, Executive Director of the South Asian Heart Center, said, "WomenNow discusses topics of relevance and interest to the South Asian community in particular and the mainstream population in general. It builds on El Camino Hospital's deep commitment to the health of the South Asian community here in Silicon Valley, as demonstrated by the development and launch of the South Asian Heart Center in 2006. With WomenNow we have a chance to do even more to bring awareness to disease risks and prevention efforts for South Asians.”
The topics addressed will be of general interest to viewers of all ethnic backgrounds, but also will address specific health issues relevant to South Asians who, for example, have a significantly higher risk of breast cancer and heart disease than other groups. (South Asians are those who trace their ancestry from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.)
Ena Sarkar, WomenNow TV co-founder, said: "We are strongly committed to providing better choices to the South Asian community. Providing Health information to give people more control over their health and, eventually, their lives, is the first step. We look forward to our partnership with El Camino Hospital to help us, as South Asians, learn to be healthier." "As a platform for the South Asian community, WomenNow TV strives to bring awareness about health issues to their audience," said Jaya Gautam, co-founder. "I believe awareness and education are seeds for initiating change, especially in women's and children's lives and in global health prevention initiatives. Our partnership with El Camino Hospital will help us work together towards this end." WomenNow reaches a national audience of 3.2 million Indo-Americans and South Asians in both US and Canada, with a median age of 39. It can be seen on KTSF (Ch.8/26 in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as free on Comcast ON Demand, where it is the only Asian Indian show available. It also runs on San Jose Comcast Channel 15 and East Bay Comcast Channel 27 and 29. WomenNow has a strong social media presence on Facebook, YouTube and other online locations. The first program is set to air on September 24, 2011.