FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

February 25, 2005 | Atlanta, GA

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

Contact: Cleve Mesidor (202) 223-7560

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.

Read Full Press Release Here

About The Forum

The National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan, independent research and education organization. The vision of NMQF is a health services research, delivery and financing system that provides quality and effective health services to the biodiverse American general population of the 21st century. NMQF helps assure that national and local quality improvement initiatives are informed by scientific evidence, and place a priority on the quality of care and patient outcomes in all populations.