District of Columbia

My husband, Paul Berger, suffered a stroke over 25 years ago at the age of 36, when he was at the gym exercising.  He had the worst headache ever, and was suffering from extreme dizziness. He asked the attendant at the desk for an aspirin.  Fortunately, they called an ambulance.  If he had been at home, I would not have recognized the symptoms, and probably would have killed him by giving him a dose of aspirin.  He was experiencing a ruptured aneurysm, blood gushing out of a hole in a large blood vessel leading to his brain.  The aspirin would have hastened the bleeding.

Stroke is the 4^th leading cause of death, and a leading cause of disability among adults.  According to the American Stroke Association, about 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year, stroke kills more than 128,000 people a year, and more than $38 billion is spent each year on stroke-related medical costs and disability.

Strokes occur among people of all ages, and among otherwise healthy-looking women and men.  Eighty percent of strokes are caused by clots in blood vessels in the brain blocking the flow of oxygen and nutrients to brain cells; 20 percent are caused by ruptured vessels killing brain cells with a flood of lethal blood.

When Paul had his stroke, even state-of-the-art care couldn’t locate the rupture and while we waited a week in the hospital to repeat the tests, he had a second bleeding episode, leaving him severely disabled.  Today, thanks to advances in imaging and interventional neuroradiology, there’s a much better track record in finding and treating ruptured aneurysms.

For the 80 percent suffering clot-induced strokes, getting to the hospital immediately will allow time to diagnose and begin treatment using clot-busting drugs.  Unfortunately, there’s a small window of time for this treatment, about 3 to 4 hours from the first sign of stroke.  The sooner the person having the stroke gets to the hospital, the sooner appropriate treatment can begin.

Since the person suffering the stroke often cannot act to call 9-1-1, everyone should learn the warning signs, and to act quickly.  It is much better to call an ambulance immediately than to wait to see if the symptoms go away.  This means that spouses, co-workers, friends, children and grandchildren need to learn the signs and how to act immediately, even if the person having the stroke seems resistant.

An easy way to remember the symptoms of stroke is “F.A.S.T.” for:

• F:  Face Drooping.  Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
• A:  Arm Weakness.  Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S:  Speech Difficulty.  Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand?  Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.”  Is the sentence repeated correctly?
• T:  Time to call 9-1-1. If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

The American Stroke Association, part of the American Heart Association, and the National Stroke Association have many helpful tools for educating yourself and others about stroke.  Learn about it today.  If it could happen to my otherwise healthy husband, then it could happen to you, or to your loved ones.

Ask Your Representative to Support Stroke Awareness Today!

**Blog content provided by You’re the Cure Virigina member, Stephanie Mensh.**

DC City Council and the Baltimore City Council have challenged each other to have 100% staff and council participation in the AHA Heart 360 program for the next four months.  Watch the video below to see a message from Yvette Alexander on the challenge.

(Please visit the site to view this video)

On April 25^th, Councilwoman Yvette Alexander and the American Heart Association joined forces to co-sponsor a Get to Goal event.  Blood pressures were taken and people were signed up for Get to Goal.  Participants also had access to a wealth of heart health information and were able to try a recipe from the AHA’s new Low-Salt Cookbook.  Information about stroke warnings signs was also distributed.

The event was inspired in part by DC’s Worksite Wellness policy that promotes healthy choices among employees.

Did you know that most people do not realize they have high blood pressure?  High blood pressure, the silent killer, is a condition that greatly increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, especially when it goes unmanaged.  The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hypertension initiative, Get to Goal, is here to help provide people with knowledge about high blood pressure, and provide participants with a tool to keep track of their blood pressure.

To learn more about DC’s Get to Goal program and to enroll yourself to track and manage your heart health visit the Get to Goal – Washington, DC website.

Do you have a hypertension story?  Care to share? If so, click here.

We want to invite you to ignite a conversation about stroke to help educate those around you as we enter into American Stroke Month.  Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of long-term preventable disability in the United State, yet Americans don’t consider stroke to be a major health concern.

What is a stroke? A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients in the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts.  When this occurs, part of the brain can no longer get the blood and oxygen it needs, so that portion of the brain dies.

Thankfully there are some tools that can be used to help recognize stroke symptoms early to help decrease the amount of damage in the brain.  One of these tools that the American Heart Association promotes is the acronym F.A.S.T.

F.A.S.T is an acronym used for recognizing and responding to the sudden warning signs of stroke.  The letters stand for:

• Face Dropping – Ask the person to smile.  Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
• Arm Weakness– Ask the person to raise both arms. Is one arm weak or numb? Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech Difficulty– Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly? Are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand?
• Time to call 9-1-1– If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

To learn more about stroke, the effects of stroke, and how to spread the word about stroke click here.

Do you have a personal story about stroke?  If so, we would love to hear it! Click here and share your story today.

Did you know about F.A.S.T?  Have you thought of ways to share with your friends and family?  If so, tell us about it in the comments section!

Every single day, all over the country, lives are saved and improved because of you. Thanks to your commitment, talent, and passion as a volunteer, Americans are living healthier and lowering their chances of heart disease and stroke.

In honor of National Volunteer Week, we'd like to take a moment to say thank you for the difference you make in so many lives! Please click on the link below and you'll see why!

From the bottom of our hearts--we want to Thank You for all you do!

Just in time for the cherry blossoms blooming in DC, more than 300 American Heart Association and American Stroke Association advocates from across the county descended upon our nation's capitol, eager to request the restoration of federal funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and support for the Million Hearts Campaign.

The American Heart Association relies on research funded by the NIH. With the recent sequester slashing the NIH budget by nearly $1.5 billion, about 2,300 research grants will go unfunded, causing a reduction in both the job market and economic activity. A typical NIH grant supports about seven full-time or part-time jobs, most of them high-tech. Every dollar that the NIH distributes through grants returns more than $2 in goods and services annually to the community.

Armed with the names of 6,000 advocates who signed the "Many Hearts, One Voice for Medical Research" petition, this group of volunteers, survivors, researchers, and healthcare professionals joined forces with thousands of advocates, representing over 200 patient groups and research institutions. Together, they attended the Rally for Medical Research on Monday to urge Congress to make research funding a national priority.

The following day, advocates met with their Senators and Congressmen to share their own personal stories, driving home the need for medical research funding.

Advocates attending voiced their passion for the effort, many expressing how impactful it was to be able to deliver these important requests personally to their legislators and their staff members.

D.C. City Council passed a resolution on February 5^th proclaiming February as Heart Month in D.C. and encouraging all residents and agencies to Go Red. We invite you to encourage your office, partners and other networks to participate through-out the month of February by joining our America Goes Red challenge. It’s easy and fun! Here’s how you can help shine a spotlight on heart disease:

Step 1: Plan how your office can involve your employees and constituents in taking action to reduce their risk and raising awareness about heart disease. Have fun and be creative!

Step 2: Capture your event or activity with photos!

Step 3: Post your photos to our website. Upload your best and most creative photos to the categories on the American Heart Association’s Wear Red Day Challenge website at: http://wearredday.goredforwomen.org/. Be sure to add a caption to let us know what organization or agency your photo is from. Upload your photos between February 1 and February 28. The best entries will be recognized in March.

Let’s get started. Together, we can raise awareness about this country’s No. 1 killer and help reduce heart disease.

Councilmember Mary Cheh presents the resolution to volunteers Joy Dorsey (center) and Gail Harris Berry (right)

**An update from Jennifer Witten, your American Heart Association Government Relations Director**

The DC City Council is back in session for the New Year.  With new councilmembers and committee chairs, we will be urging their consideration to make our policy issues a priority.

This fall we have worked to lay the foundation for our key issues that include stroke care standards, a District stroke quality data tool, as well as obesity prevention strategies.  We will focus on introducing legislation early to ensure time to successfully pass legislation this year. 

This session we will be working on:

• Designation of Primary Stroke Centers and the establishment of a stroke registry to align health services with national treatment metrics,
• Screening of newborns for Critical Congenital Heart Defects
• Health reform implementation
• Shared use agreements to promote physical activity

Be on the look-out for alerts and other opportunities to let Councilmembers know what’s important to us!

The ‘Safe Routes to School’ project works to increase physical activity through walking and bicycling to school and in daily life. Schools are often the center of community and schools that are accessible by walking and bicycling are especially well positioned for community programs that encourage physical activity.

Shared-use agreements facilitate the ability for an organization to host physical activity programs outside of school hours. In some cases, the school grounds are open for anyone to use the outdoor or indoor facilities. This creates not only daytime but evening and weekend activity at schools increasing the importance of access through walking and bicycling.

This free webinar will introduce you to shared-use agreements and discuss the basics of shared-use agreements. Prince George’s County M-NCPPC – Department of Parks & Recreation will discuss their shared-use agreement with Prince George’s County Public Schools. Finally, the link between share-use agreements and the importance of accessing schools via walking and bicycling will be discussed.

You’re the Cure is working on advancing shared use agreements in DC this year. 

You must register in advance:

Date: December 11, 2012
Time: 2-3 p.m. ET
Webinar Registration Link:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/165517528524785920
Phone number for audio: provided after registration or use your computer speakers

Agenda

Overview of shared-use agreements:
Marty Martinez, Bay Area Policy Manager, Safe Routes to School National Partnership

Share-use case study:
Bill Sheehan, Assistant Chief, Sports, Health & Wellness Division, M-NCPPC – Department of Parks & Recreation

On November 7, 2012, The American Heart Association, in collaboration with D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh of Ward 3, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie of Ward 5, the D.C. Department of Health and D.C. Public Schools celebrated National Eating Healthy Day at McKinley Technical High School.  AHA Executive Board member and YTC Advocate Sean Ballington, started the program to talk about AHA’s commitment to healthy programs and policies that provide resources for individuals wanting to make healthier choices. 

Councilmembers Cheh and McDuffie encouraged over 120 students and faculty to live healthier lifestyles to prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes! Cheh challenged McKinley High School to start a community garden at their school and helped them recognize the importance of including fruits and vegetables in their diets. 

Principal David Pinder of Mckinley High School testified to his students that now is the time to start healthy habits that will last them a lifetime. He warned them that it will be harder to change old habits than to start new habits of eating healthy while you are still young. He drew from his own experience as he explained growing up with his parents owning a fried chicken restaurant and how hard it was for him to change his eating habits once he realized that it was slowly and silently killing him.

This celebration of National Eating Healthy Day was a great opportunity for students of the D.C. community to learn about the importance of eating healthy while having fun.  They were able to learn about some of the programs the American Heart Association offers to promote healthy eating such as Simple Cooking with Heart. The event also provided an opportunity for organizations in the community who are committed to building healthier lives to come together and celebrate this national day of healthy eating.  Part of the event included a cooking demonstration by celebrity Chef Cynthia of the American Heart Association. She taught students that it is possible to cook healthy food in their own kitchens that is both simple and cheap. On the menu were curry chicken and black bean salads for the students to sample. Many were surprised that something so healthy and made quickly could be so tasty!

The American Heart Association promotes policy change that helps provide Americans healthier choices in schools and communities.

Chef Cynthia explaining the healthy menu choices to the audience ^