ECH Yuma Names Dorothy Hall Students Winners After Heart Health Fair

Exceptional Community Hospital of Yuma announced Kayla, Zaida and Gael as the winners of its Healthy Heart coloring contest, awarding each student a basket full of goods as part of the hospital’s Heart Month outreach. The hospital announced the winners on Feb. 25, 2026 and identified all three as students at Dorothy Hall Elementary School.

The coloring contest tied directly to ECH’s Second Annual Heart Health Fair, which the hospital hosted on Saturday, Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its Araby Road campus next to Interstate 8. Hospital organizers said the fair and the contest were intended to teach children early about heart-healthy habits and to reinforce prevention messages during Heart Month.

Lisa Brazeel, identified by ECH as a marketing and community representative, summarized the intent behind the program in describing the winners. “We have Kayla, Zaida and Gael who were the winners. The kids need to learn because when they get to be a little more mature habits already formed to understand early that how important heart health is,” said Lisa Brazeel, Marketing and Community Liasion for ECH Yuma.

ECH also emphasized daily behaviors parents and teachers can encourage. “Our hearts don't sleep so it's very important to take care of them 24 hours a day and taking care of them includes the four things, activity water, healthy eating and sleep,” said Lisa Brazeel, Exceptional Community Hospital marketing and community liaison, listing the four specific actions promoted during the fair and contest outreach.

Hospital staff noted that the student winners “sent a positive message to children” through their artwork and said the baskets full of goods were meant to reward participation while reinforcing the fair’s lessons. ECH Yuma is planning on having similar events every month to bring awareness of healthy habits starting at a young age, and officials signaled the hospital will continue pairing community events with school outreach at Dorothy Hall Elementary and other local schools.

The February activities at ECH’s Araby Road site aimed to connect families across Yuma County with prevention-focused messages and monthly programming; hospital organizers encouraged continued participation as they roll out future events designed to keep heart-health education visible for children and families.