How the American Heart Association Brings Health Education to OC

For many, Orange County is synonymous with the beach, warm weather, Mickey Mouse and even the fresh, local ingredients of California cuisine. However, did you know that nearly 30 percent of Orange County residents are obese? Or that nearly 10 percent of Orange County residents are living with cardiovascular disease? Fortunately, the Orange County American Heart Association (AHA) embraces the goal of motivating, engaging and enabling people and local organizations to build sustainable cultures of health through science-based knowledge and partnerships. Last year, the Orange County American Heart Association raised more than $2.7 million dollars for cardiovascular research and education. This year, the division’s goal is to raise $3.5 million dollars through our signature events including the Go Red For Women Luncheon, OC Heart & Stroke Walk and the upcoming OC Heart Ball. In addition, to funding lifesaving research, this money is also used to support countless community programs including Teaching Gardens, CPR training, Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart, NFL Play 60 and our new Heart of 29 campaign. Read below to find out how our sponsors support the American Heart/American Stroke Association in reaching our goal of building healthier lives in Orange County - free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Teaching Gardens

The Teaching Garden program is part of a larger American Heart Association “My Heart. My Life” healthy living initiative, designed to help Americans understand what it means to be healthy, and to take action. Teaching Gardens have flourished throughout California, and are part of an effort to fight childhood obesity and encourage healthier schools, families and communities in Orange County. Developed using AHA science and nutrition guidelines, as well as information shared by gardening and education experts, the garden is a learning laboratory where students plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce, and in the process learn the value of good eating habits. In 2015, more than 50 planting, growing and harvesting events took place in underserved schools within Orange County with many more scheduled this year.

CPR in Schools Training

Annually, more than three hundred thousand Americans experience a sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Not even a third receives CPR from a bystander and only ten percent survive. In an effort to curtail this dismal statistic, the American Heart Association has sponsored legislation and programs to bring CPR to schools. So far, 29 states across the country (not including California) have passed laws requiring every high school student to be CPR trained before graduation. In January 2015, Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District became the first district in California to pass a curriculum change requiring hands-on CPR and AED training. Currently, the Orange County Board of Directors is diligently working to implement CPR as a graduation requirement in Orange County High Schools. Teaching our high school students the lifesaving skill of CPR before they graduate will put thousands of qualified lifesavers in our community. Last year, through the American Heart Association more than 114,000 Orange County residents were trained in hands-only CPR with thousands more potential life savers being trained in our community this year. Three to five minutes is a matter of life and death for sudden cardiac arrest victims. When a CPR-trained bystander is near, and can act quickly and effectively, survival rates can double – even triple!

NFL Play 60

NFL PLAY 60 is a partnership between the National Football League and the American Heart/American Stroke Association. The campaign educates youth about the importance of staying fit and creates an engaging and fun environment that seeks to inspire students to be physically active for at least 60 minutes every day. The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day – which is a contributing factor in the American Heart Association and National Football League effort to create the NFL Play 60 Challenge. Four-time Super Bowl champion and heart disease survivor, Jesse Sapolu and the Orange County American Heart Association will host a free, NFL Play 60 event on Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Jim Scott Stadium at Estancia High School in Costa Mesa. The NFL Play 60 program is free and open to all kids aged nine to fourteen.

Saving Strokes

Saving Strokes, a program of the American Heart/American Stroke Association, began in Sacramento, CA, in 2001 with 26 participants. The vision was to offer stroke survivors an opportunity to participate in golf for pleasure as well as for physical rehabilitation. Ten years later, this small program has grown to 16 sites in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah and serves over 1,000 participants annually. The program sees approximately 40 percent growth annually in new participants, with more than half having no prior golf experience. Saving Strokes envelops all ages, stages of rehabilitation and skill levels to produce an environment of learning, networking and support for all involved.

Heart of 29 with the Angels of Anaheim

The Angels of Anaheim in partnership with MLB Hall of Famer Rod Carew and his wife Rhonda, are launching a year-long campaign with the American Heart Association, to promote awareness of cardiovascular disease. The Heart of 29 campaign honors the Carew’s wish to assist the American Heart Association following Rod Carew’s, major heart attack and subsequent surgery. Carew had an LVAD, or left ventricular assist device, implanted during the surgery, and is awaiting the possible need for a heart transplant. The California campaign will kick off at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim on the evening of Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at the home game against the Minnesota Twins. (Rod Carew played for both the Angels and the Twins from 1967 to 1985.) The Angels will also debut their red jerseys for the first time in the regular season that evening, and will wear a Heart of 29 sleeve patch to honor Carew and the campaign. In addition, Rod will throw the first pitch of the game and will be accompanied by friend and former Angel’s pitcher Clyde Wright, who recently underwent bypass surgery after doctor’s discovered a blockage. Clyde credits Rod with saving his life by prompting him to see a physician after his own heart surgery.

For more information, on the Orange County American Heart/American Stroke Association or any of our programs or events please visit www.heart.org/orangecounty or call (949) 856-3555.