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The Heart Truth - Champions Program
The Heart Truth - Champions Program

Fifteen Atlanta Champions pose together, seated and standing.

The Heart Truth® Champions Program, funded by the HHS Office on Women's Health OWH), provides a day of training for women—including an overview of women's heart disease by a local cardiologist and/or nurse; personal stories of women with heart disease; an overview of The Heart Truth Campaign and Red Dress Project; and an overview of The Heart Truth's education materials for the public and health professionals. Additionally, the training provides an interactive community audit and action plan development session. To date, we have trained 435 Champions who have conducted more than 450 events and reached more than 345,000 people.

The Heart Truth Champions represent faith-based, civic, women's, and/or health organizations. They may be community leaders, health educators, wellness directors, nurses, or other individuals who work at the local level and talk directly to people about their health. Most importantly, The Heart Truth Champions offer access to an extensive community network, especially populations of women that bear a disproportionate burden from heart disease. Champions are selected based on their current position and involvement in health education and community outreach in their local area. In Fall of 2011, the Champions program visited Seattle, WA, Los Angeles, CA, Knoxville, TN, and Omaha, NE. Click here to see photographs from the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 training program.

Over the past year, The Heart Truth Champions have taken a leading role in creating opportunities to participate in local community activities to raise awareness of women and heart disease. Click here to see a year in review of the 2010-2011 Champions Program.

A Year in Review:  Champions Programming Spring 2010 - Spring 2011

The Champions training in spring 2010 recently completed their year commitment to the program. These champions included community health advocates from Atlanta, GA, Baton Rouge, LA, Buffalo, NY, and Washington, DC. The Heart Truth spring 2010 Champions have planned and implemented a total of 86 events, reaching more than 7,600 people over the course of 12 months. These events included health fairs, locally organized wear red events, health seminars, educational workshops, heart disease risk factor screenings, luncheons with heart healthy recipes, employee heart health sessions, radio interviews about The Heart Truth, mother/daughter heart health sessions, and Red Dress Sunday events at faith based institutions.

Champion Highlights

Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in Atlanta, GA pose with a check from their  two-mile walk for heart disease awareness in women.

In Atlanta, Champion Bresha Shaw-Franklin of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority organized a two-mile walk for heart disease awareness in women. Bresha used The Heart Truth Speaker's Kit to bring attention to the issue of heart disease and to highlight the role of physical activity in heart health. Approximately 250 women were reached. Proceeds from the walk were donated to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) in support of The Heart Truth Community Action Program.

 

Champion Diann Holt poses with two other ladies in red at her Red Attire Gala heart healthy luncheon and health fair in Buffalo, NY.

In Buffalo, Champion Diann Holt held a Red Attire Gala heart healthy luncheon and health fair at the Durham Memorial AME Zion Church and Outreach Center. Miss Black New York was a keynote speaker and discussed the importance of heart health and The Heart Truth campaign. Approximately 50 people were reached.

 

A group of women in red take a picture during the From Heart to Heart event organized by Champions in Washington DC.

In Washington DC, Champion Edith Salazar and other DC Champions from La Clinica del Pueblo organized an event called "From Heart to Heart." It consisted of a dinner where they presented The Heart Truth using the Spanish-Language Speaker's Kit, zumba, and information tables. Approximately 80 women were reached.

In Baton Rouge, Champion Diane Swayzer Smith participated in a health fair in Baker, LA, by showing The Heart Truth real women video and distributing Heart Truth materials to approximately 150 people. The health fair was advertised with Heart Truth branding through 14 parishes.

 

Champion Feedback

"There are limited resources for community advocates. Thank you for bringing support to advocates at the local level."

"Many thanks to all who are involved in this program and for allowing me to participate. A very special thanks to NHLBI for sponsoring the program. I worked hard to make my programs a success. This has been a very good program and I hope it continues so that we can reach more people."

"Thank you for providing me with great information to share with my community. I pass it on frequently."

"Thank you for having me. My philosophy is 'once a champion always a champion'."

"I thoroughly enjoyed promoting awareness of women's risk for heart disease all year long. I would love to continue spreading the word. I am now planning my 2nd Annual Red Dress/Red Tie Event for next February! Thank you so much for this opportunity!"

Last Updated: February 29, 2012

® The Heart Truth, its logo, The Red Dress, and Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear—It's the #1 Killer of Women are registered trademarks of HHS.
® National Wear Red Day is a registered trademark of HHS and AHA.

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