The American Heart Association kicked off Stroke Awareness Month on May 1 with its annual City Hall Day in New York City. Advocates and community leaders met with Council Members to address the leading risk factors for heart disease and stroke—together, the top cause of death among New Yorkers.
Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death among adult New Yorkers, with hypertension—a key risk factor—affecting over one in four residents. Our advocates met with members of the Committee on Health to urge funding for a local program that would expand access to self-monitored blood pressure (SMBP) machines at targeted federally qualified health centers across all five boroughs.
Each year, over 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the U.S., with 70% happening at home. Nearly 90% of these cases are fatal. When performed immediately, CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival. Advocates shared personal stories to highlight the urgent need for funding to ensure all schools can fully implement life-saving CPR in Schools training.
Advocates also emphasized the need to expand programs like Health Bucks and Get the Good Stuff to encourage healthy eating, restrict the sale of deadly menthol cigarettes, and increase access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education in local communities.
Thank you to all the advocates who joined us, including representatives from the New York Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Alumnae Chapter, Inc., the Urban School of Emergency Medicine, and the Hunter College Heart Club. Your voices and passion made a powerful impact in advancing our efforts to address the leading cause of death among adult New Yorkers.