New York, NY — The American Heart Association and the Elizabeth Elting Foundation will unveil the first blood pressure self-monitoring kiosk at The Campaign Against Hunger’s (TCAH) resource center and food pantry in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn on October 2. The state-of-the-art BP kiosk will empower clients of TCAH to measure and track their blood pressure and take steps to prevent heart disease and stroke, which together kills more New Yorkers than any other disease.
According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure is the “silent killer” because it has no obvious symptoms and can threaten one’s health. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reports that about one in four New Yorkers has high blood pressure, and Black and Latino adults are more likely to have high blood pressure than other races and ethnicities.
“We are excited to partner with the Elizabeth Elting Foundation to fight the ‘silent killer’ and to give residents of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn a means to check, change and control their blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause serious damage and threatens your health and quality of life,” says Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, Chair of the American Heart Association in New York City Board of Directors. “Maintaining awareness of key numbers, like blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol and blood glucose levels, can alert you to any changes and help you make changes that matter, like eating a well-balanced diet and enjoying regular exercise. Liz Elting’s commitment to improving the health of every New Yorker is an inspiration to medical professionals and philanthropists alike.”
“As a longtime New Yorker, I love this city, and I want our people to stay healthy. Cardiac health is something every New Yorker, regardless of wealth or ability to pay, should have the tools to manage. I’ve been working closely with the AHA’s Go Red For Women Campaign for years, and as a recent appointee to its New York City board of directors, it felt like the right time to invest in this city’s health,” Elting says. “After all, there’s a heart right in the middle of all those iconic ‘I Love New York’ t-shirts. Let’s keep ours beating.”
The Campaign Against Hunger is one of the most robust and effective nutrition education and emergency feeding providers in New York City. TCAH operates at the intersection of hunger and health and actively works to combat chronic diet-related illnesses through nutrition education, empowering neighbors to lead healthier, more productive and self-sufficient lives by increasing their access to nutritious food and related resources. TCAH was a recipient of the American Heart Association in New York City’s 2019-2020 Community Impact Grant.
The American Heart Association recommends self-monitoring for all people with high blood pressure to help individuals and their healthcare provider determine whether treatments are working. While home monitoring (self-measured blood pressure) is not a substitute for regular visits to your physician, by managing your blood pressure, you are lowering your risk for heart attack, stroke and other serious conditions.