AHA Updates

AHA Updates

Take Heart 2004

The Northeastern Maine Division of the American Heart Association is still celebrating the success of its recent "Women at Risk" conference. Despite a snowstorm, more than 160 people turned out to learn about the impact of heart disease and stroke in women. Plans are already underway for next year's event that will again feature speakers, health screenings, and much more to help women lead longer heart healthy lives. Volunteers are always needed. If you would like to sign up, please call the Maine office at 1-800-937-0944. (7/04)

Walkers

During March and April, three top fundraising walkers from the Bangor, Lewiston-Auburn, and Portland area, thanks to an equipment donation by Phillips Medical Systems, placed AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillators) in their local communities. Robert Dube, a heart transplant recipient, placed an AED at the Plymouth Fire Station in Plymouth, Maine. Kristie DeMarco, whose father survived quadruple bypass surgery, placed an AED at the Donald L. Richards Pool in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Ray Gamache placed an AED at St. Dominic's Regional High School in Auburn, Maine. Special thanks to these wonderful and dedicated volunleers for their efforts to raise money for life-saving research and education through their participation in the Heart Walk! (7/04)

Take Heart 2004

April marked the launch of the American Heart Association's Take Heart 2004 candidate education initiative. AHA hopes you will join them and make the leading causes of death -- cardiovascular diseases -- a priority election issue across the nation. Volunteers like you make a difference. Last year alone, 32,000 of you took time to write, call or email the President and Congress about heart disease and stroke issues and as a result AHA enjoyed several legislative victories! The Take Heart 2004 initiative is designed to inform candidates -- presidential, congressional, state and local -- that these issues resonate as key healthcare concerns for all citizens. Your candidates should not only understand them, but should have an opinion about how to best fight heart disease and stroke.

During May, the AHA sent out materials about fighting heart disease and stroke. This material is also available through their new election resource center, www.TakeHeart2004.org, where you can:

Locate and contact your candidates at all levels
Sign up to receive news about heart disease and stroke, and the 2004 elections and activities
Find links to political and election information sites
And, much more between now and November

To fully participate in Take Heart 2004, receive alerts, and write your candidates, please register to receive future email alerts.

Choose to Move

Choose to Move is the American Heart Association's free physical activity program for women that re-launched in March. During the 12-week program, participants learn how to exercise regularly, eat healthfully, select nutritious foods, and take time for themselves. To request more information about the 2004 Choose To Move program, visit www.americanheart.org/choosetomove or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278).