We have great news! On July 1st, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 5394 which requires schools and school athletic facilities to have comprehensive cardiac emergency response plans. These plans will more than DOUBLE the chance of survival for the 2 million people in Illinois schools every day and will help students, teachers, support staff, families, and…Read More…

The American Heart Association is excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with the Foundation for a Healthy North Dakota and North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services to create the Multi-Partner Health Collaborative (MPHC). All three of our organizations believe North Dakotans deserve to live happy and healthy lives, and our combined passion for…Read More…

This past year marked a significant milestone for the American Heart Association (AHA) as we embarked on a mission of paramount importance: to enhance the safety and health of our communities by advocating for broader access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Our journey led us to the heart of Washington D.C. for a critical advocacy…Read More…

In late May, twenty-one advocates from across the state of California took to Capitol Hill! Their Mission? To advocate for the Access to AEDs Act and the HEARTS Act during the American Heart Association’s 2024 Federal Fly-In. Sudden cardiac arrest survivor Heather Freligh and her dad Derek kicked off our week of learning and advocating…Read More…

Christina Cesnik’s first Indy Board Meeting was the last of the year and the last for Chair. It was such a kind handoff to the new Chair and a warm welcome from the rest of the Board. As nice as this was, it took no time for the Board to get on to business. The…Read More…

On Saturday, June 15 at 9:55 PM, the 56th Arizona Legislature adjourned its session, officially closing legislative business for the year. The 57th Arizona Legislature, First Regular Session, will reconvene on Monday, January 13, 2025, with returning and new legislators. As a reminder, the Arizona Legislature convenes every year on the second Monday in January….Read More…

Last week, the American Heart Association was excited to volunteer at this year’s ReACT Summit in Helena. Under the direction of the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MTUPP), ReACT works to address the issue of youth and tobacco addiction. ReACTor’s main objective is to become the first-ever tobacco-free generation in Montana. The Medieval themed three-day…Read More…

Last week, two of our wonderful advocates from the Southwest Region who serve on the National Advocacy Coordinating Committee had the opportunity to be in Chicago to help celebrate the American Heart Association’s 100th birthday. Below, Cheyenne Brown of Wyoming and Jaelene Dismuke of Texas, talk about the experience. JAELENE DISMUKE Last Monday evening, I…Read More…

The tobacco industry is constantly trying to find ways to addict a new generation to tobacco products. More than 11,000 Washingtonian youth try cigarettes for the first time each year, and one in three kids who get hooked on tobacco will die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases.1 Washington State previously had a tobacco cessation and prevention…Read More…

As the American Heart Association celebrates 100 years working to build longer, healthier lives, I was honored to travel from Portland, OR, to Washington, D.C. to join AHA’s Hearts on the Hill Fly In.AHA advocates from Oregon and across the country gathered to meet our Senators and Representatives and ask their support for two life-saving…Read More…