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Stroke is largely preventable . In fact, it is the No. 1 preventable cause of disability. The American Stroke Association is here to empower you and your loved ones to prevent stroke through knowledge, action and hope. Stroke is treatable. The American Stroke Association is here to help you to recognize...

A new scientific statement from the American Heart Associations reminds physicians and people with congenital heart disease that regular physical activity is still important and should be promoted. Congenital heart disease (heart structural problems existing since birth) is estimated to affect more...

Tonya Kraft South Dakota I lost my mother on June 6 th , 2002, to a massive heart attack. She was just 53 years old. It wasn’t just the loss of my mother; it was the realization that there was a genetic issue that could not be hidden anymore. My mothers’ mother and grandmother both passed...

Two South Dakota advocates made the trip to Washington DC in April to participate in the AHA Lobby Day on the Hill. The 2 day experience consisted of attending the Rally for Medical Research, advocacy training, and visits to Capitol Hill. Advocates Tonya Kraft and Dave Amundson, and staff member Pamela...

Governor Dennis Daugaard signed SB 168 into law earlier this month, which ensures newborn babies in South Dakota will be screened for congenital heart defects before leaving the hospital. SB 168 enjoyed wide, bi-partisan support throughout its journey through the legislative process. The bill will take...

SB 114 was originally drafted to help clarify our state’s smoke-free law by defining smoking. But the amendment added to the bill in the House Local Government Committee weakens our smoke-free law. By allowing smoking of "premium tobacco products" in certain South Dakota bars, the bill...

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have announced an ambitious and bold collaboration to reverse the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. In 2007, the RWJF committed $500 million toward its goal of reversing the childhood obesity epidemic...

What if you were shopping in the local grocery store and someone two aisles over went down with a heart attack ... and you were the only one in the store who knew CPR? Sadly, this hypothetical situation may not have a good outcome simply because you didn't know you were needed. Now, a new smartphone...

The South Dakota Legislative Session will begin on January 8th. At the American Heart Association, we will be actively engaged in conversations related to health care throughout the session. CLICK HERE to visit the South Dakota Legislature's website, and check back at You're the Cure for frequent...

The Helmsley Chartiable Trust has once again stepped forward to help improve cardiovascular care in the upper midwest. As you know, the Trust has invested in emergency response care in numerous ways across North and South Dakota, including support for Mission: Lifeline. It was recently announced, that...

Have you heard of Pulse Oximetry? It's a simple screening test performed on newborns before they leave the hospital to check for congenital heart disease. One in 100 babies are born with congenital heart disease. It is the number ONE birth defect! Each year, 4,000 babies die of a congenital heart...

That’s right! We want to know WHO you know! With the 2012 election behind us, now the business of the legislature and Congress begins shortly after the first of the New Year. And we need your help! We know that our advocates are among the best connected around. Would you be willing to share...

The Sioux Falls City Council will get a briefing today, December 4, on the overall health of the Sioux Falls community. The coalition, Live Well Sioux Falls, will report its finding to the council at 4 p.m. today and will also hear recommendations and priorities the city should address. A second meeting...

We all knew it, right? And now there is a study that confirms what we all knew ... no level of secondhand smoke exposure is safe, and even brief exposures can have adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects. CLICK HERE to read an article about a recent study of five large-hub airports who have designated...

Essayist and poet Edward Sanford Martin, the first literary editor of Life magazine, once said, “Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” Throughout the year, we come to you asking for your voice and...

One of our very own South Dakota You're the Cure advocates was selected to participate in the Health Care and You Coaltion campaign to help raise awareness about the Affordable Care Act and how it might impact you or your family. Check out the South Dakota page and watch the short video to learn...

Nearly 100 emergency physicians, emergency nurses, cardiologists, emergency medical responders and leadership, and others interested in improving emergency heart care in South Dakota will gather November 16 at the Ramkota Convention Center for the 3 rd annual South Dakota Mission: Lifeline Conference...

Lynn Paulson South Dakota For two years, I played a dangerous game with my heart. I kept experiencing a racing heart and shortness of breath episodes that lasted a few minutes at a time. With my busy work and travel schedule, I just chalked it up to normal anxiety and stress, but when my symptoms...

With football season upon us, many of us are looking for ways to keep our tailgate party heart-healthy. We can help by with tips on how to enjoy your outing without sacrificing good nutrition. Also, National Healthy Eating Day is November 7th. Perhaps you've made the decision to embark on a healthy...

The data is in, and we're not surprised. Comprehensive smoke free laws were associated with a rapid 15 percent decrease in hospitalizations for heart attacks, 16 percent for stroke and 24 percent for asthma and other respiratory hospitalizations. The most comprehensive laws - those covering workplaces...

A Mitchell, SD, man shares his story of survival from heart disease and his journey to receiving a heart transplant. Read his emotional story from the Mitchell Daily Republic HERE .

Watch this Halloween-inspired public service announcement to promote the life-saving skill of CPR. We credit the Heart and Stroke foundation of Canada for using the "scare power" of zombies to teach CPR. If a zombie can do it, so can you! Watch the video and learn the simple steps of Hands...

Learn to recognize the warning signs of stroke and how a celebrity found true strength after recovering from a stroke. The American Stroke Association hosts a #WorldStrokeDay Twitter Chat on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Noon Central Time/1PM Eastern Time, in recognition of World Stroke Day (Oct. 29). American...

The cast of the CBS hit series “Rules of Engagement” is working with the American Heart Association to promote Hands-Only CPR in a fun new digital video. Watch it here: http://youtu.be/m4eVr441SEA Then, take a few minutes to review the steps to learn Hands Only CPR. The life you save could...

With all the discussion on the federal, state and local level about obesity, I wanted to share the recently published F as in Fat Report 2012 , by the Trust for America’s Health. Check it out to find out where South Dakota ranks on the obesity scale, and then think about what YOU can do to encourage...