Turn the White House Red - We need your help!

25,000 signatures.

That's what we need by Jan. 4th for the White House to consider our petition to illuminate the building in red to honor National Wear Red Day and the American Heart Month.You know how important education and research are to fighting this country's No. 1 killer of men and women - heart disease. It's often silent, hidden and misunderstood. That's why we need you help to shine a 'red' light and bring this disease to the forefront in February.

Every signature makes a difference, so sign up and share with colleagues, friends and family today! There are a few steps, but with your help we can get there!
1. Visit our special petition page on whitehouse.gov.
2. Create an account (we know, what a pain!).
3. Watch for a verification email and click on the notification.
4. Sign the petition.
5. Ask your friends, family, and co-workers to sign up!

Don’t stop there, please share this petition with friends and family!
Forward this email to your friends and family.
Once you sign the petition, promote it by using the social media section of the site to help spread the word on Facebook page or tweet the link out to your followers.
Use your connections with media. Share with neighborhood or community groups.

AHA Recognizes Volunteer Excellence in Advocacy

American Heart Association Recognizes Volunteer for Excellence in Advocacy, Years of Service

MORRISVILLE, December 15, 2011 – Peg O’Connell, JD was honored with the 2011 Dr. Robert Blackburn Award for Advocacy Excellence by the North Carolina American Heart Association Advocacy Coordinating Committee.
The award, presented at the Advocacy Coordinating Committee’s fall/winter meeting, recognizes individuals for outstanding achievement in advocacy and decades of volunteer service.
O’Connell, Senior Advisor for Government and Legislative Affairs at Fuquay Solutions, is a founding member of the NC AHA Advocacy Committee and has helped build a robust and highly regarded program. Her service spans over twenty years and includes participation in both state and federal lobby days. O’Connell serves as a coach and role model to new advocates. O’Connell’s volunteer work also extends to involvement with the American Heart Association Triangle Heart Walk, Heart Ball, and Go Red for Women movement.
Yolanda Dickerson, Chair of the NC AHA Advocacy Coordinating Committee said “Peg O’Connell has given so much of her time and talents to improve the health of our state. She is a positive force that not only gets results as an individual, but influences those around her to act as well.”
Currently O’Connell serves as the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association Representative for the Justice Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force and is a member of the North Carolina Advocacy Coordinating Committee.
“I am honored to volunteer with the American Heart Association and to play a small part in the important work they do. This recognition of my service means a great deal to me,” said O’Connell. “I am especially honored because this volunteer recognition award was named for Dr. Bob Blackburn—he is personal hero of mine and a man committed to improving the health of North Carolina.”
For more information about the American Heart Association advocacy program and You’re The Cure Grassroots Network, please contact the AHA at 919.463.8328 or betsy.vetter@heart.org.

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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org.

2.5 Million Young Adults Have Health Insurance Thanks to the ACA

Today Health and Human Services announces that 2.5 million young adults have gained health insurance coverage in the last year as a result of the provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows young people to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26. American Heart Association volunteer advocate Libbie Hough is participating on a press call with HHS Secretary Sebelius at 1:30 p.m. today to share her family’s story about how her daughter Natalie, who has a genetic heart disorder, has benefitted from this provision.

HHS Press Release
Learn more about young adult coverage.

Physical Fitness Trumps Body Weight

Physical fitness trumps body weight in reducing death risksIf you maintain or improve your fitness level - even if your body weight has not changed or increased - you can reduce your risk of death, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.In a study of 14,345 adult men, mostly white and middle or upper class, researchers found that maintaining or improving fitness was associated with a lower death risk even after controlling for body mass index change.The study underscores the importance of physical inactivity as a risk factor for death from heart disease and stroke, said researchers. Researchers also found no association between changes in body fat percentage or body weight and death risk. ...more

Help Us Urge the White House to Go Red during American Heart Month!

Want to help “shine a spotlight” on heart disease? Join our campaign to urge the White House to “Go Red” during American Heart Month!
We have just 30 days to get 25,000 signatures in order for the White House to consider our petition- and we need your help! It’s up to all of us to show the Administration how important it is to raise awareness about our nation’s No. 1 killer.
It’s easy to do!
Visit our special petition page before January 4th.
Create an account (we know, what a pain!)
Watch for a verification email.
Sign the petition.
Share with family, friends, and colleagues to encourage their support too!
Get started now!

Holiday Healthy Eating Guide

Check out the My Heart. My Life.™ Holiday Healthy Eating Guide for great tips on how you can fight off the pounds during the holidays. From holiday savvy to eating with family to winter workouts, this easy-to-print guide is a great resource to have by your side! Be sure to look at the recipes in the back ... salad greens with baked pears and goat cheese, roasted turkey breast with lime and herbs, and cherry chocolate tiramisu. They could be hits served at your next get-together!