National

More progress has been made to create the next generation of lifesavers, as Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed legislation making the Lone Star State the 11th– and the largest – to make CPR education a requirement to graduate high school. The law goes into effect for the Class of 2015.

This is quite a milestone because of the sheer numbers involved. Texans comprise 9 percent of all high school graduates in the country, or 264,275 students per year. That means that by 2020 there will be well more than a million more Americans equipped with this lifesaving knowledge from Texas alone.

Of course, there will be many more CPR trainees from the other states that preceded Texas in passing this legislation. Those states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Georgia, Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont and Washington.

It’s also worth noting how this legislation is building momentum across the country. Alabama and Iowa enacted legislation prior to 2011. Three states followed in the 2011-12 fiscal year, and Texas becomes the sixth state this fiscal year. Is your state not on the list? Make sure to show your support and sign the pledge at www.BeCPRSmart.org. 

CPR in schools can make a difference in real, powerful ways. Just ask Lori Dolan. Her teenage daughter, Lindsay, saved her life by using the training she received her freshman year of high school.

More stories like this are being told through June as part of National CPR Awareness Month. This includes continued promotion of Hands-Only CPR, which teaches that anyone can be a lifesaver by knowing just two things to do if you see an adult collapse: Call 9-1-1, then push hard and fast at the center of the patient’s chest, preferably to the beat of the disco classic “Stayin’ Alive.”

Nearly 250,000 people across the country — including you and 2,500 of your fellow You’re the Cure advocates — spoke-up to support the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to set strong nutrition standards for foods and drinks sold in school vending machines, a la carte lines, and snack bars

Now let's keep the momentum going!  The movement is uniting once again to ask the USDA to finalize the proposal, so schools can begin to move toward implementation of the nutrition standards.

You can help by taking part in a Thunderclap scheduled for Friday, June 21st that will harness the power of social media to spread the word.

Don’t know what a Thunderclap is? Here’s how it works… 

1. Visit our Thunderclap page.
2. Select “Support with Twitter” or “Support with Facebook” to agree to have our unified message- “Thanks #USDA 4 work 2 make school snacks healthier. We're with u as u finalize #SmartSnacks rule! moms.ly/GoUSDA.” - posted to your Twitter and/or Facebook account.
3. If enough people join the Thunderclap, all of the messages will post at once on June 21st, helping to possibly get smart snacks as a trending topic on Twitter!

Click here to join the Thunderclap now!

Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do to ensure kids have healthier options at school!

Washington, D.C., June 11, 2013— Representative Lois Capps (D-Calif.) introduced the Teaching Children to Save Lives Act of 2013. If passed, this legislation would authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational agencies and schools to implement nationally recognized cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training courses. The legislation also requires the Secretary of Education to report back to Congress within the first year on grant amounts and recipients, the use of the program funds, and the impact of the funds.

“The American Heart Association strongly supports Rep. Capps’ efforts to provide the resources necessary to train the next generation of lifesavers,” said American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown. “By teaching schoolchildren how to deliver CPR and properly use an AED we are reaching a major portion of the American population, substantially increasing the likelihood that individuals suffering from sudden cardiac arrest will survive.”

The legislation introduced by Rep. Capps complements the work that state governments are doing around the country. Currently, 10 states require students to be trained in CPR before graduation. The impact of such training is significant. Studies indicate that communities with comprehensive AED and CPR training programs have achieved survival rates of 40 percent or higher for victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

This week, four U.S. Senators, Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Richard Durbin (D-IL), sent a joint letter to Nickelodeon and its parent company Viacom requesting that the children’s entertainment network prohibit advertisements that market unhealthy food to children.  

Last year, over 1,500 You’re the Cure advocates delivered a similar message to Nickelodeon, given the proven impact food advertising has been shown to have on our kids’ food choices. 

It’s time for Nickelodeon to follow the Walt Disney Company’s lead in setting responsible advertising standards that are in the best interest of our kids.  In 2012, Disney announced it will no longer accept advertisements for junk food on its child-directed television, radio, and online sites. 

Check out the letter that was sent to the Presidents of Viacom and Nickelodeon by the Senators this week:

Dear Mr. Dauman and Ms. Zarghami,      

As a leading multi-media entertainment destination for children and adolescents, Nickelodeon has a special opportunity—and responsibility—to help address our nation’s childhood obesity epidemic. We ask that you implement a clear policy to guide the marketing of food to children on Nickelodeon’s various media platforms, including the advertisements on your channels, Internet sites, and mobile platforms.      

Over the past three decades, childhood obesity has doubled among children and tripled among adolescents, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Obese youth are at greater risk of having high cholesterol or high blood pressure, prediabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea and self-esteem issues. Obese youth are also more likely to be obese as adults, and are at higher risk for adult health problems including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis. The medical costs associated with obesity have a significant economic impact on our nation’s health care system, totaling approximately $147 billion in 2008.      

While there are many factors that contribute to childhood obesity, food marketing plays an important role. A 2006 Institute of Medicine report requested by Congress found that television advertisements influenced children’s food and beverage preferences and the requests they make to their parents. Nickelodeon is in a key position to help safeguard the health and well-being of our kids, and your decisions on what products are permitted to be advertised through your network have an impact on our children’s diets and long-term health prospects.      

According to a 2010 report by the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Nickelodeon currently airs a quarter of the food advertisements that are viewed by children under 12. In 2012, the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that 69 percent of foods advertised on Nickelodeon were of poor nutritional quality, including fast foods, sugary cereals, and sweet snacks.      

We applaud the initiatives that Nickelodeon has taken to promote healthy lifestyles for children, including through health and wellness messaging, but remain concerned that Nickelodeon continues to run advertisements for food and beverage products of poor nutritional quality.      

One year ago last week, the Walt Disney Corporation took the important step of announcing that it would no longer accept advertisements for unhealthy foods on television, radio, and websites directed at children. Like other companies, Disney has found success in focusing their food marketing on healthy foods that contribute to the health and fitness of their viewers. Given Nickelodeon’s commitment to fighting childhood obesity and responsibility to the youth that comprise your audience, we ask that the company promptly take similar action to implement strong nutrition standards for all of its marketing to children. We look forward to your response.      

Sincerely,

Richard Blumenthal, John D. Rockefeller IV, Tom Harkin, & Richard J. Durbin

What do you think?  Do you agree that Nickelodeon should set stronger nutrition standards for the foods and beverages they allow to advertise on their media channels?  Share your thoughts in the comments below.

A car without an engine, a bicycle without tires... they just don't work. Neither does research without funding. In order to make discoveries that lead to treatments and cures for our nation's most devastating diseases, researchers need test tubes and other equipment, lab staff to conduct research and analyze results... things that cost money. But the March 2013 sequester cut funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which in turn forced NIH to give fewer grants to support research projects. Promising studies are being delayed or stopped altogether as a result of reduced NIH funding. 

We knew the impact of NIH funding cuts was going to be devastating. We asked researchers to share the real-life stories, and you can read a few of their responses below.

Brett Mitchell, PhD, a researcher at Texas A&M Health Science Center, has let one lab technician go already as a result of reduced funding, and a second lab technician will be let go this summer. Mitchell says, "We were really close to discovering a novel therapy to decrease blood pressure in patients taking immunosuppressive drugs, which include those who have received an organ transplant and those with autoimmune diseases, however without NIH funding being restored, we will have to abandon this project and try to operate a laboratory without any technicians."

Shoba Ghosh, PhD, FAHA,  a researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University, shared that she is faced with reducing the scope of her studies as a result of the sequester. She said "At this crucial point, a decrease in funding will slow us down, resulting in delayed development of a potentially novel therapeutic strategy for preventing heart disease. This and similar instances across the nation underscore the need to restore funding for heart disease."      

Mark Sussman,PhD,  a researcher at San Diego State University, said they are are struggling to recover from the devestating news of reduced NIH funding and expressed concern about the impact on training future researchers and recruiting underrepresented minorities into the field of cardiovascular research. Sussman shares, "Our program involves training of multiple postdoctoral and junior faculty with promising careers that will be compromised by lack of support." He goes on to say that his program provides rare and important access to training in cardiovascular research for the underrepresented Hispanic population, and that the program's diversity-related efforts have helped to launch the careers of many minority students.

Research is our best hope for finding new ways to prevent, treat and cure diseases, but the future of research is in jeopardy. Stay tuned for your opportunity to call on Congress to restore funding for NIH.

Sally Sharp Missouri

I died on January 19, 2011.  My story begins on a typical school day...nothing was out of the ordinary and the day was going according to plan.  Then, that all changed.  I was sitting in my classroom beginning to eat lunch with some of my co-workers.  Things began to go terribly wrong.  I felt myself falling to the floor, with no prior warning signs.  None of my fellow teachers knew CPR so one of them ran out of the room in search of the head school nurse.  She came running into my room and started administering CPR on me to get my heart started again. 

The school nurse's quick thinking along with other life-saving procedures, started my heart beating again.  I was transported by ambulance the hospital where I spent the next five days for extensive testing to find out the cause.  It has since been diagnosed and under control.  I have lost 63.8 pounds since October 8, 2011. I strongly support the American Heart Association's initiative to teach CPR to students and I hope my story inspires you and others to live heart-healthy.

Do you get the recommended amount of physical activity each day?  How about the kids in your life?

If you said no, you are not alone.  Unfortunately, more than 25% of adults do not devote any time to getting their body moving during the day and 62% of kids do not get the daily vigorous activity they need.  This means we need to be doing more- as individuals, as communities, and as a nation- to prioritize physical activity where people live, work, learn, and play.    

Right now, there is an exciting opportunity to take some big steps forward toward that goal, as Congress considers two pieces of legislation that aim to help increase physical activity among kids, teens, and adults.  Will you help us build support for these important bills? 

First, the Fitness Integrated with Teaching (FIT) Kids Act, sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Representative Ron Kind (D-WI), and Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL), would help prioritize physical education (PE) in our nation’s schools, giving kids the head start they need toward a healthy life.  With nearly one in three children overweight or obese and only 3.8% of elementary schools, 7.9% of middle schools, and 2.1% of high schools providing daily PE, the FIT Kids Act is needed now more than ever to improve the quality and quantity of PE kids receive during the school day. 

Additionally, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Act would help guide our national, community, and individual efforts to increase physical activity, by directing the Department of Health and Human Services to issue recommendations to the public every 10 years based on the latest science.  The bipartisan bill was introduced by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Aaron Schock (R-IL).

How many legislators do you think we can get to sign on to these two important bills within the next month?  Exercise your voice today to ask your Representative and Senators to become co-sponsors of the FIT Kids Act and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Act.

PS- Don’t forget to share the call to action on Facebook and Twitter to encourage friends and family to act too! 

The statistics are eye-opening!  Nine out of ten Americans consume too much sodium, increasing their risk for high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease or stroke.  But how much salt is too much and what can you do to avoid it?

Tip #1- Be aware!  Do you know what the American Heart Association’s recommended daily sodium limit is?  It’s 1500mg.  Yet, the average American adult is consuming more than 3,400mg.  By knowing the recommended limit, you can make more informed decisions about your diet.  

Tip #2- Control your intake! 90% of the sodium we consume comes from processed foods purchased in grocery store and the food served at restaurants, making it very important to:

• Read Nutrition Facts labels and choose lower sodium options or brands when available.  Also be aware of serving sizes!
• Look for the Heart-Check mark when you shop to find products that meet the American Heart Association’s criteria for heart-healthy food.
• Cook at home more often to help control the sodium that goes into your food.  Here are some flavorful recipes to get you started!

Tip #3- Help inform others!  High blood pressure is not something we want our family and friends to face, so help share these important facts about sodium.  We’ve posted this helpful infographic to Facebook, so you can easily SHARE it with your network. 

Ethan and Polly Rames South Dakota

Our 3rd son, Ethan, was born with a congenital heart defect known as Transposition of the Great Vessels.  We were fortunate that the excellent staff at our local hospital discovered his condition prior to his birth so that we could prepare for the most difficult experience of our lives.  Our pediatric cardiologist and our perinatologist monitored our son's condition in utero until 36 weeks of gestation when I needed to be induced due to complications.  When Ethan was born he needed to have a life threatening surgery performed and was flown from South Dakota to Ann Arbor, MI in an effort to save his life.  Some families are not as lucky as we were to prepare for our baby’s condition at birth.  Many parents assume their baby will be born healthy until afterward and they are thrown into shock by seeing their baby blue and not knowing what is wrong.  Research is key to developing the technology and expertise to diagnose these conditions early in order to make the appropriate decisions in a timely manner. 

Ethan will soon be 8 years old and is medication free.  Without the surgery and care we received at both hospitals, we would not have the wonderful son that has completed our family. Please understand the importance of research, and continue to invest in research to help save other lives, like Ethan’s.

It’s finally summertime!  This is the season for activities in the backyard and cookouts with neighbors. However, would you know what to do if a family member or friend experienced sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)? Eighty percent of SCAs happen outside of the hospital- and unfortunately, the majority of Americans do not know how to help or are uncomfortable doing so. The American Heart Association is trying to change that this summer!

During National CPR Week (June 1^st -7^th) and throughout the entire month of June, we’re shining a spotlight on the importance of learning Hands-Only CPR.  In just two simple steps- calling 9-1-1 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the victim’s chest- you could help save a life.  Watch our new PSA and don’t forget to share the link with family and friends (www.heart.org/handsonlyCPR).

Additionally, You’re the Cure advocates like you have been working hard in states across the country to advocate for Hands-Only CPR to be taught to all students before they graduate.  In the time it takes to watch a TV sitcom, students can learn the life-saving skill.  10 states now have CPR in Schools laws, adding over 500,000 life-savers to our communities each year.  But we still have 40 states to go!  Pledge your support for teaching all students to be ‘CPR Smart’ at www.BeCPRSmart.org. 

Thanks for your help to make CPR awareness a priority this summer!

PS- Are you trained in CPR?  Post our “CPR Ready” image as your profile pic on Facebook and Twitter this month to let others know you’re ready to save a life.