The Heart of the Matter // Tarrant County American Heart Association

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GRFW_AHA_LIW_THPHThe Tarrant County American Heart Association, a part of the National American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, has been dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke since its foundation in 1924. As a member of the oldest and largest volunteer organization in the country, the Tarrant County American Heart Association is focused on funding innovative research, having invested $3.9 billion in cardiovascular research throughout its history, fighting for more beneficial public health policies, and providing the population with the necessary tools and education to improve overall heart health.

Locally, it has invested $1.8 million in cardiovascular research at the UNT Health Sciences Center and the University of Texas at Arlington, and has implemented programs in local school districts, such as Hoops for Heart and Jump Rope for Heart, that help to foster healthy lifestyles for children.

The Mission

The mission statement of the Tarrant County American Heart Association is to, “improve the lives of all Americans, free of cardiovascular disease.” In order to accomplish this, its goal is that by 2020, 20 percent of all Americans will be able to improve their cardiovascular health, and subsequently reduce the amount of deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20 percent. The Tarrant County AHA is currently leading the following initiatives to reach its goal:

  • Leading the fight for clean indoor air in public areas, such as workplaces, bowling alleys, and restaurants.
  • Advocating to ensure food labels include the appropriate nutritional information to enable healthy choices.
  • Cutting back on the amount of calories children are fed at school.
  • Advocating to places AEDs in public places such as airports, golf courses, and malls.
  • Helping hospitals provide better treatment for cardiac and stroke patients through the advancement of surgical technologies and the development of artificial valves, pacemakers, and cardiac stents.

Additionally, the Tarrant County AHA offers CPR classes.

Get Involved

IMG_4041The Tarrant County AHA states that, “The number one killer of women is heart disease – one in three will die of a heart attack or stroke. Heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined – including breast cancer, which is one in 31.” To promote awareness, the Go Red For Women movement has been fighting for women’s heart health, advocating for regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks, making healthy food choices, and always staying active.

IMG_4064The Tarrant County American Heart Association will be holding the Go Red For Women Luncheon February 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Historic Fort Worth Hilton Hotel. The event will include free health screenings, provided by Texas Health Resources, a silent auction, lunch, and a keynote presentation from Marjorie Jenkins, M.D., Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health. Tickets can be purchased here.

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