American Heart Association
Building a culture of health in Jackson
Jackson is Mississippi’s capital city, the "City with Soul," and home to all things Southern. The City of Jackson maintains safe spaces for residents to move outdoors, but our children are below the national average for childhood obesity. Proper nutrition is a challenge with almost a third of residents living below the poverty level with low food access. Almost 90 percent of children in the Jackson Public School System are eligible for free or reduced lunch, and many children do not eat unless they attend school. Together with The Partnership for A Healthy Mississippi, we're working to make fresh, healthy food available to Jackson residents. We're training a new generation of lifesavers through our CPR in Schools initiative. And we’re working hard to advocate for a state-wide tobacco tax; something that would generate a decrease in tobacco use and tobacco-related deaths. Join us and let’s together build a heart-healthy Jackson!
Health Measurements
Percent of adults with...
Lifestyle Risk Factors
Our Community
Jackson Heart Transplant Survivor
Liz Ethridge was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at a young age. In her early twenties, she received a heart transplant. Liz continues to speak for the AHA as an advocate for women – knowing your risk, researching your family history, and visiting your doctor regularly are all life-saving habits, she says.Healthy For Good
You don’t need a guilt trip. We know you know. You want to be Healthy For Good. And we’re here to help inspire you to create lasting change in your health and your life, one small step at a time. The approach is simple: Eat smart. Add color. Move more. Be well. Get Healthy For Good.
Focus on Quality
When medical professionals apply the most up-to-date evidence-based treatment guidelines, patient outcomes improve. That’s the simple truth behind the drive for continuous quality improvement. Our comprehensive suite of programs can help you advance farther and faster in the quest for ever-better care.
Arming Jackson Healthcare Workers
Target: BP™ has launched in Jackson, providing health professionals the tools to effectively manage patients' blood pressure. There are 1.8 million people enrolled in Mississippi. Find out what high blood pressure is, and arm yourself with the knowledge about this "silent killer" affecting millions of people. Thanks to gifts from Families First for Mississippi and The Ware Foundation, local patients have been gifted blood pressure cuffs to better manage their hypertension.
Blood Pressure
Check. Change. Control.
Stress on your blood vessels from high blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and other serious health threats. Use our free Check. Change. Control.™ online tool to track your readings and maintain a healthy heart!
Track Your Blood Pressure
For Professionals
Target: BP
The AHA and AMA joined forces with the launch of Target: BP™ to support physicians and care teams. We can track and maintain blood pressure goals for our patients by offering access to the latest research, tools, and resources.
Charles Griffin
Survivor, Volunteer
Charles Griffin is a heart attack survivor, and practices complex litigation and
insurance defense for Butler Snow, LLP in Ridgeland. He selflessly volunteers his
spare time to the Metro Jackson AHA by serving as the Metro Jackson Immediate
Past Chair and is currently serving on the Greater Southeast Affiliate Board of Directors.
The Lifesaver Generation
Emergencies leave us feeling helpless, but they don’t have to. Learn CPR now! Every school in Mississippi is equipped with Hands-Only CPR Kits™, and almost 200,000 citizen lifesavers are trained across healthcare, community, and corporate environments throughout the state.
Closing Equity Gaps
EmPOWERED To Serve is a movement inspired by multicultural volunteers around the country who are passionate about driving change through health justice in their communities. These committed ambassadors are closing gaps in health equity through advocacy, policy, education, and social change.
Local Policy Win
To date, a total of 147 municipalities, including Jackson, and four counties are smoke-free, protecting 34% of the state's population from secondhand smoke.
Funding Local Researchers
Research is a pillar of the American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission. Over the past 10 years, we’ve awarded 60 grants totaling $8.6 million to Jackson-area researchers in the ongoing quest to understand, improve, and treat cardiovascular disease and stroke. The results will assist doctors, hospitals, and other institutions to save lives in our own backyard and across the world. In addition, the AHA has an ongoing 5-year, $30 million commitment to a study in collaboration with the Jackson Heart Study, the Cardiovascular Genome Phenome (CVGPS) Study, also known as Precision Medicine.
Local Research Spotlight
“These studies will address a leading cause of death and potential reasons why African Americans don't respond as well to drugs and interventions that reduce blood pressure. This work may also have broad implications for blood pressure control in other resistant hypertensive populations.”
–John Clemmer, Ph.D., University of Mississippi Medical Center
Visit Professional Heart Daily, a Resource for Clinicians and Scientists
Faces of Heart: Stephanie's Story
Stephanie Austin was only 35 years old when she experienced a sudden cardiac arrest in her sleep. Her husband saved her life by performing CPR. This is her story.
Support Network™
Life is hard, but you're not alone. We're all in this together, right? Learn from locals like you or help others going through a tough time. Explore the chat forums, read survivor stories, seek and receive support. Because it's okay to lean on others who have been there too.
Why Cholesterol Matters
You can lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Take control of managing your cholesterol levels by making healthy lifestyle choices and following a sound medical treatment plan.
Mississippi
Across the Magnolia State, communities are building a healthier infrastructure and tackling inequities for hearts of all ages. The challenges are great, but together our future is greater.
Local Events
Jones County Heart Walk
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Jones College
Let's get HeartWalking, a movement to move more. Heart Walk is a festival of one million hearts in 300+ communities nationwide beating healthy for good. Join us in Ellisville! Walk in memory of someone you love, or create a team.
Forrest Lamar Heart Walk
Saturday, November 2, 2019
University of Southern Mississippi, Spirit Park
Metro Jackson Heart Walk
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Mississippi State Capitol Building
Metro Jackson Heart Ball
Business, medical, and other community leaders unite to celebrate the lifesaving mission of the American Heart Association. Don't miss this unforgettable evening of inspiration, entertainment and hope as we build a healthier Jackson!
Metro Jackson Go Red For Women Luncheon
May 2, 2019
Jackson Convention Complex
We "Go Red" for our mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends. Heart disease and stroke cause one in three deaths among women - more than all cancers combined. Let's raise awareness that 80 percent of cardiac events are preventable!
Pine Belt Heart Ball
Get Involved
Email us for more information on givingWhy I Support the AHA
“The work of the American Heart Association universally helps people from all walks of life and economic situations improve their daily lives. It brings me great pleasure to know that my volunteer and financial support efforts with the AHA over the past decade are helping to break the silence about the devastating impact heart disease and stroke is having on our families and our communities.”
–Martin Davis, an American Heart Association donor
Contact Us
Local Leadership
Metro Jackson Board of Directors
Tina Lakey
Metro Jackson Board Chair
Tina Lakey is the current Metro Jackson AHA Board Chair. She came to the AHA as a volunteer with the Go Red For Women initiative as the Circle of Red Chair and has served on the Metro Jackson AHA Board of Directors for the 2017-2018 year. She previously served as District Director for CenterPoint Energy in Mississippi. Tina believes “it’s all about the people”. Community involvement and volunteering are a large part of her life. Tina and her husband Terry reside in Madison.
Board Chair
Tina Lakey
Retired – Centerpoint Energy
President
Dr. Michael Hall
UMMC
Immediate Past Board Chair
Peder Johnson
BKD
Immediate Past President
Dr. Debbie Minor
UMMC
Timeka Bradley
Jackson State University
Brian Fenelon
Merill Lynch
Charles Griffin
Butler Snow
Steven James
Allstate
Donna Antoinne-Lavigne
Jackson Heart Study
Dr. Harper Stone
Jackson Heart Clinic
Frances Ware
First Commercial Bank