Wyoming

Throughout the summer months, Members of Congress return to their home states for in-district work periods, or recesses, which present an important opportunity for advocates to talk with their Representative and Senators about pressing heart disease and stroke policy issues.  Here are some tips for getting the most out of the summer recesses…

1)      Make a note of when the recesses are scheduled:

2)      Contact the American Heart Association Advocacy staff in your state to let them know you’re interested in helping during the summer recesses.  They will be able to provide you with information on the hot heart and stroke issues we’re urging Congress to act on and recommend ways to connect with your legislators.      

3)      Visit your legislators’ website to sign-up for their e-newsletter and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.  These are great ways to know about the events your Members of Congress will be attending or hosting during the various recess periods.  From town hall meetings, to summer office hours, to parades they’ll be marching in, there are many opportunities to chat with your lawmakers about their support for key heart and stroke issues. 

Have you visited with your Members of Congress during recess periods in the past?  Tell us about it in the comments below!

Proactive. That's Kinnie Douglas. As the Program Coordinator for Community Health Education at Nacohdoches Memorial Hospital in Texas, she knows the importance of public health and advocacy- and has become a champion for advancing You're the Cure priorities.

In addition to responding to calls to action and serving on the TX State Advocacy Committee, Kinnie always reaches out to her AHA Advocacy staff partner when she is going to be in Austin, the state capital, to ask what she can do to help. In fact, in January, she made the rounds in the state legislature to introduce herself to new state representatives and share important information about AHA's priority legislative issues, including CPR in schools, pulse oximetry screening for newborns, and Smoke-Free Texas. She came prepared with stories and data from her hometown to help make the case.

Thank you, Kinnie, for your commitment to You're the Cure

May is National Stroke Month, a time to raise awareness on stroke and what can be done to prevent it. 

Stroke is our nations number four killer and the leading cause of long term disability.  On average someone in the Unites States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Additionally, certain segments of the population in the U.S. have a disproportionately high risk for stroke, in fact, African Americans and Hispanics have almost twice the risk of experiencing a stroke. 

Despite these sobering statistics, the good news is that stroke can be prevented by creating awareness and reducing some of the known changeable risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and lack of physical activity,

The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association advocates in support of the following policy priorities in order to prevent stroke and improve the quality of care received by those who experience stroke:

• Protect investments in prevention
• Support the development and implementation of stroke systems of care
• Increase the National Institutes of Health investment in stroke research

Please join us this month, and every month, in raising awareness around stroke and how we can work to prevent it. 

Each day, the human heart is responsible for pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood.  The human heart also has a complex electrical system that regulates and synchronizes the beating of the heart. When this system malfunctions, the heart can be sent into a dangerously erratic rhythm, this is known as a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  Unlike a heart attack, SCA strikes without warning and the causes are unknown.  Treatment of SCA is a race against the clock. The combination of early, immediate CPR and automatic external defibrillation (AED) can more than double a victim’s chance of survival.

The American Heart Association and its you’re the Cure advocates, support a comprehensive approach to addressing sudden cardiac arrest.  These approaches include:
 
• More research into the causes of SCA
• Championing policy change that encourages bystander CPR, as well as CPR and AED training of students prior to graduating from high school
• Increasing public awareness of SCA and its causes through activities such as CPR and AED Awareness Week in June.

We can bring awareness to this issue and the race against the clock that is all too familiar to those who experience SCA by contacting our law makers and letting them know about this issue. 

Let's work together to create a healthier Wyoming!

Sunshine, longer days and warmer temperatures: It's the season to get-up-and-go, with opportunities to be physically active around every corner. We need you to educate your legislators on the benefits of physical activity. 

Now is the perfect time to establish a get-fit routine. The warmer weather and longer days will help carry a routine with you into winter.  There are many benefits to getting more physical activity.  Not only will it help to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke but it will also help you:

• Stay healthier, feel stronger and live longer.
• Have more energy to do the things you love.
• Manage stress.

 Join the fight against heart disease by making the simple choice to get moving for at least 30 minutes a day, and be sure to vist the action center to take action and educate your legislators on why at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day is so important.

Every day, we take thousands of steps to get where we need to go; now it is time to take steps towards improving heart health.  April 3^rd is National Walking Day, a day to challenge ourselves and our state to get heart healthy and fit! 

These days, adults are spending more time at work than ever before. An unfortunate side effect is that, as a nation, we're becoming more inactive. Statistics show that 50% of men and 33 % of women are at risk for heart disease, and research shows that poor lifestyle is a major contributor.  In fact, physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease.  

But take heart! This is a problem we can fix, by lacing up our sneakers and walking at least 30 minutes a day.  Walking is the easiest form of physical activity and has the lowest dropout rate.

 A regular walking program can improve your cholesterol profile, lower blood pressure and prevent weight gain

We hope you will join us on April 3^rd, and every day, by lacing up for 30 minutes and taking the steps necessary to build a healthier state.

Click this link for more information on National Waling Day and for some tips on how to make walking and other physical activities more fun!

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/National-Walking-Day-2013_UCM_448665_Article.jsp.

The State of Wyoming is gearing up for the 2013 legislative session.  With just three months from the start of session, I wanted to introduce myself.  My name is Erin O’Reilly and I am the new Director of Advocacy for Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. 

With just one month under my belt, I am looking forward to working with all of you at the Roundhouse on issues that will improve heart disease and stroke in Wyoming.  Some of those issues include the following: 

• Implementation of Statewide stroke and STEMI (the technical term for a type of major heart attack) registries.  The data collected by these registries are an invaluable tool to knowing when and where heart attacks and strokes are occurring as well as knowing the type of care individuals are receiving

• Designation of primary stroke and STEMI receiving centers.  We want to make sure hospitals that offer the best care to patients of serious heart attacks or stroke are publicly recognized for their efforts.  We will ask Wyoming lawmakers to allow these facilities to be designated as official “STEMI Receiving Centers” Or “Primary Stroke Receiving Centers.”

• Public funding for heart disease and stroke research and prevention.   We can save a lot more lives (and money) by preventing heart disease and stroke than by treating it.  That is why we will continue to support programs like tobacco and obesity prevention that will reduce common risk factors for CVD. 

I will be sending out a more detailed email about our statewide agenda for the 2013 legislative session.  Can you do the new girl a favor and visit the new You’re the Cure community site at www.yourethecure.org. After you register please click on “The Pulse” link and tell us what you think.  The Pulse will act as our state blog so you can keep up with the latest and greatest from the American Heart Association in Wyoming.

 Sincerely,

 Erin O’Reilly

Director of Advocacy

Take action, comment on blog articles, earn points, gain badges all because You’re the Cure.

Dear Advocates,

I want to welcome you to our new You’re the Cure Community Site and I hope you enjoy it.  This will be your one stop shop for all things Advocacy.  As mentioned above you can:

-take action on recent alerts,

-read “The Pulse” which will serve as a state blog,

-earn points by responding to alerts, commenting on stories, re-tweeting alerts, and contacting your elected officials in a number of ways,

-gain badges for various accomplishments like attending a Lobby Day, being a caregiver or survivor, being a YTC Promoter, being a medical professional, and many other ways. 

Click on your name at the top of the page to view your profile and learn more about our ranks and badges. 

Throughout the year you will be hearing from me and the Government Relations Director in your state.  I hope that we will also be hearing from you. You can get started on earning points by commenting on this and other articles below.

Thanks!

You’re the Cure,

Brian Bowser
Grassroots Director
Advocacy Dept.
American Heart Association, SouthWest Affiliate
10900-B Stonelake Blvd. Ste 320
Austin, TX 78759
Phone: (512) 338-2404
Email: brian.bowser@heart.org