Former Falcon Gary Burley &
Councilmember H. Lamar Willis Support Unprecedented
Collaboration To Reduce Cardiovascular Disease
Disparities in Atlanta
Foundation Launches Healthy Heart Campaign to
Tackle Disparities
ATLANTA, GA (February 25, 2005)
- Today Councilmember H. Lamar Willis and former
Atlanta Falcon Gary Burley joined National Minority
Health Month Foundation (NMHMF), the American Heart
Association and the Atlanta Medical Association to
launch the Healthy Heart campaign, a data-driven
initiative, at a press conference at Atlanta City
Hall. Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the sponsor of
the groundbreaking effort.
"American Heart Month is the best time to kick off
this evidence-based initiative to tackle
cardiovascular disease disparities in Atlanta," said
Dr. Gary Puckrein, Executive Director, NMHMF. "The
Healthy Heart campaign is an innovative and systematic
approach to identifying individuals who are at highest
risk and strategically implementing interventions,
while supporting existing efforts to eliminate health
disparities. Our goal is to turn red zip codes
associated with a disproportionate prevalence of
premature morbidity due to cardiovascular disease into
green, healthy zip codes."
The Healthy Heart campaign will target specific "red"
zip codes in Atlanta where cardiovascular disease
disparities are significantly higher than the national
average in an effort to eliminate the disproportionate
burden of premature death and preventable illness.
Small grants will also be available to local
organizations to facilitate screening events,
education, and follow up.
"I applaud this effort to eliminate the
disproportionate burden of a preventable illness like
cardiovascular disease among communities in our great
city and look forward to working with the coalition to
find solutions to improve the health status of the
residents in Atlanta," said Councilmember H. Lamar
Willis, who hosted the press conference at City Hall.
Beginning in March, coalition partners will facilitate
screening events at community sites in targeted zip
codes identified as health disparity zones -
contiguous ZIP codes characterized by a
disproportionate prevalence of diseases and conditions
that can be linked to higher death rates, greater
hospitalization rates and cost. The goal is to collect
and analyze health statistics, and, ultimately, to
disseminate results to the stakeholders on the ground.
At the screenings, residents will receive educational
materials and those at risk will be directed to
Morehouse School of Medicine and other health care
facilities for treatment and follow up.
"The Atlanta Medical Association looks forward to
working with National Minority Health Month Foundation
and local health organizations on this much needed
collaborative effort to address and combat
cardiovascular disease disparities in the city of
Atlanta," said M. J. Collier Jr., M.D., Community
Outreach Chairperson, Atlanta Medical Association.
- MORE -
Local and national stakeholders gathered at the press
conference to discuss the need to localize
interventions in order to bridge the health gap. Among
the community leaders who spoke were: Councilmember H.
Lamar Willis; Gary Burley, former football player for
the Atlanta Falcons; Millard Collier M.D., Atlanta
Medical Association; Michael Frankel, M.D., American
Heart Association; Larry Johnson, REACH, Fulton County
Health & Wellness; Robert Mayberry, Ph.D., Morehouse
School of Medicine and Carol Snype Crawford, Atlanta
Healthy Heart Coordinator.
The Atlanta Healthy Heart initiative is an ongoing
effort designed to mobilize local government, health
care advocates and leaders, physicians, medical
centers, faith-based and community organizations, and
industry to promote cardiovascular disease awareness,
prevention, and treatment. Coalition partners include
the Atlanta Medical Association, Morehouse School of
Medicine, American Heart, Association SE Affiliate,
Atlanta City Council Representatives, State
Legislators, Association of Black Cardiologists, REACH
for Wellness, Fulton County Dept. of Health &
Wellness, National Kidney Foundation (Atlanta),
Atlanta Diabetes Association, Center for Black Women's
Wellness, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., 100 Black
Women of DeKalb, Providence Missionary Baptist Church,
Ben Hill United Methodist Church, Concerned Black
Clergy, Southside Ministerial Association, Georgia
Office of Minority Health, Georgia Division of Public
Health, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, West End
Medical Center, Maverick International, and Millennium
Filmworks.
For more information, please contact Cleve Mesidor at
(202) 223-7560 or via email at cmesidor@americanvisions.com.
Atlanta Healthy Heart coordinator Carol Snype Crawford
can be reached at (404) 697-5506 or via email at
cscmusic@bellsouth.net.
National Minority Health Month Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes the building of coalitions and evidence-based solutions towards the elimination of health disparities.
