Thanks to the tireless efforts by and AHA volunteers and staff, we are pleased to announce that North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue signed House Bill 837 into law on July 26, 2012. The law requires all students to be trained in CPR as a graduation requirement and will take effect in the 2014-2015 school year.

At the signing, Governor Perdue underscored her enthusiastic support for the bill saying, “I can think of nothing that we’ve done this year that has any more profound and long lasting effects on the health and wellness and survivability in North Carolina from any kind of heart attack or incident.”

The law will ensure that high schools students become proficient in CPR and subsequently, will be able to save a life if the need for lifesaving assistance arises. Representative Becky Carney, who was herself the recipient of CPR from a trained bystander CPR, added, “Providing our youth with the power and confidence to save a life when it matters most maybe the most valuable lesson a student can learn.”

To make sure that the program is properly implemented in schools, the North Carolina Board of Education will work with the AHA and other affiliated national organizations. Last year alone, the AHA trained more than 12 million people in CPR worldwide.

Is your state CPR Smart? Find out now!

Are you a caregiver, who helps support someone in your family dealing with heart health issues? Please tell us your experience and you could win a prize! But hurray, you only have until August 31st!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Million Hearts Campaign have partnered to create the Million Hearts Caregiver Video Challenge, which launches today! The challenge offers a unique chance for caregivers, who help loved ones maintain a healthy heart, such as preventing or controlling blood pressure, to create compelling personal videos about their experiences in caregiving. The videos should last less than 2 minutes and should provide helpful hints about how they help their loved one to stay heart healthy, including tips about how to keep blood pressure under control.

The challenge aims not only to engage and recognize those individuals who work tirelessly to provide care for friends and family but also to provide other caregivers around the country with inside knowledge and tips about how to keep a loved one heart healthy. The caregivers’ original videos will offer insights on how to prevent heart disease, including dietary, exercise, and other lifestyle changes; preventing and controlling blood pressure; and adhering to medical regimes. Videos can be submitted until August 31st.

Want more information? Visit the Caregiver Video Challenge site today!

The American Heart Association has been a strong supporter of the Million Hearts Campaign and its goal is to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes in the next 5 years. We encourage every caregiver to share their story and look forward to hearing about your experiences! Good Luck!

Last month, over 40 volunteers and staff took to Capitol Hill to urge Members of Congress to protect funding for medical research. We recently created video capturing the day and the great volunteers who participated. Watch the video below!