Updated October 12, 2023
Your American Heart Association is excited to bring back a very special initiative for hunters across the Mountain State. During the month of November, the “Heart Healthy Hunting” campaign will return, bringing life-saving messaging to hunters in order to help prevent cardiac and stroke-related deaths while on the trail.
“We’ve learned that, unfortunately, each year many hunters encounter a heart attack or stroke while hunting and, for many, they are fatal,” said Emily Hannah, Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association. “Through this campaign we are able to share simple messaging and important stories to help reduce those numbers and bring our hunters home safely this season.”
The campaign will include social media messaging based on educating hunters on the signs/symptoms of heart attacks and strokes as well as the importance of having a daily plan for when and where a hunter will be and when they plan to return home. There will also be heart-healthy snack recipes and video testimonials from hunters who suffered heart attacks or strokes as well as from families who lost hunters to these diseases, which remain the No. 1 and No. 5 killers of Americans.
There will also be support from the WV Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which will share this messaging with their hunting information during the season. Along with this, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department is also supporting the campaign, which can be seen via the Association’s social media channels – @AHAWV on Facebook and @aha_wv on Instagram and Twitter. WDTV/Fox 10 in Clarksburg/Morgantown will also have special PSAs supporting the campaign featuring the hosts from their three hunting shows.
According to the West Virginia DNR, one in four calls they receive during the hunting season each year is related to cardiovascular incidents.
“We should all live a heart-healthy lifestyle, but while hunting, know your limitations and always leave a hunting plan with a family member or friend,” said Lieutenant Warren Goodson with the West Virginia DNR Law Division. “Your hunting plans should be simple, where you are specifically hunting and when you will return. Be sure to follow your own plan.”
“We couldn’t do this alone and are so grateful for the support of the Kanawha-Charleston Heart Department and of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources,” added Hannah. “They also see the importance of keeping our hunters safe as they head outdoors this month.”
The campaign will run from November 1 through November 30, 2022 and is the first of its kind in the nation for the American Heart Association.
Are you interested in learning more about important issues related to heart health and stroke prevention? Join us at www.yourethecure.org and stay up-to-date on issues that matter to you the most.
Ready to take your involvement to the next level? Join us to support this year’s legislative priority in West Virginia! We are going focus on expanding Medicaid for individuals with diagnosed, uncontrolled hypertension to receive a self-monitored blood pressure device. Minutes matter, and in rural West Virginia, this is important. Sign our petition to keep hunters safe! (yourethecure.org)
If you would like to get involved with this campaign and share YOUR story, please contact Government Relations Director, Emily Hannah at [email protected].