LifeBridge Health and the American Heart Association of Baltimore and Greater Maryland announced a renewal of a three-year collaboration to create meaningful change in our community in the fight against cardiovascular disease and stroke.
The #StrongerHearts initiative, which began in 2018, brings together the resources of LifeBridge Health (LBH) and the American Heart Association (AHA) to create easy-to-understand and interactive information about the prevention and treatment of heart disease, the leading cause of death the United States.
#StrongerHearts will share this information through video, social media and other channels.
These educational assets will be complemented by in-person community events and digital experiences where the public can interact with LBH and AHA experts as well as participate in activities to learn about heart disease and stroke.
The website Lifebridgehealth.org/strongerhearts serves as the hub of the #StrongerHearts initiative, housing a vast array of resources, including recipes and cooking videos to news articles and the latest scientific research on a variety of heart-related topics. The website will also list all upcoming #StrongerHearts events and community activities.
“We are excited to extend our #StrongerHearts collaboration with the American Heart Association, a champion in fighting cardiovascular disease,” says Neil Meltzer, president and CEO of LifeBridge Health.
He adds, “With the combined efforts LifeBridge Health’s top-notch cardiovascular care and leading medical experts and the broad spectrum of resources and tools of the American Heart Association, we know that in working together we can make an even bigger impact to advance heart health and awareness.”
This renewal of the #StrongerHearts initiative between LifeBridge Health and the AHA strengthens an already vibrant working relationship that has been educating people about the importance of heart health in communities around Maryland.
“LifeBridge Health has a long history in Maryland of collaborating with the American Heart Association in its mission to be a relentless force for longer, healthier lives,” says Tracy Brazelton, executive director of the American Heart Association of Greater Maryland. “We are excited to continue working together to advance of our shared goal of reducing the number of people affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke.”
Through the #StrongerHearts initiative, LBH and AHA have already collaborated on the annual Heart Walk (October 16) and World Stroke Day (October 29), and will be part of the annual Heart of Maryland Heart Ball in June.
In the first quarter of 2022, LBH and AHA plan to unveil two new blood pressure kiosks, one at the Jewish Community Center in Park Heights and the other at the LifeBridge Health & Fitness Center in Pikesville to help Baltimore-area residents “know their numbers,” such as blood pressure.
High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke and can be linked to more than 400,000 U.S. deaths each year. These kiosks will allow community members to check their blood pressure regularly, keep their numbers top of mind and receive health information to live their healthiest lives.
These will be the second and third such kiosks opened under the #StrongerHearts collaboration. More than 5,000 people have tested their blood pressure at the first such kiosk, installed at the JCC of Greater Baltimore in Owings Mills in February 2019. One woman who checked her numbers shortly after it was installed credited the kiosk with saving her life after it revealed she had severely high blood pressure.
Additional plans as part of the #StrongerHearts initiative include:
• Easy-to-understand, interactive information about the prevention and treatment of heart disease will be available through different outlets.
• New web-based, self-diagnostic tools will be designed to help individuals identify their own risk factors and behaviors. They can also be linked to experts and resources if requested.
• LifeBridge Health Cardiovascular Institute physicians and AHA’s scientific staff will combine their expertise to research, publish studies and present at clinical conferences and forums.
LifeBridge Health is one of the largest providers of health services in Maryland. LifeBridge Health consists of Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Northwest Hospital, Carroll Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, Grace Medical Center, LifeBridge Health & Fitness, hundreds of primary care and specialty physicians throughout Maryland, and many affiliated health-related partners. More information is available at www.lifebridgehealth.org.