Tennessee
A relentless force for longer, healthier lives in Tennessee
Celebrating 37 Award-Winning Tennessee Hospitals
Every patient deserves access to high-quality heart and stroke care, regardless of where they live. Each year, the American Heart Association recognizes hospitals across the country – from rural areas to the most populated cities – for consistently following up-to-date, research-based treatment guidelines for cardiovascular disease.
Decreasing Blood Pressure with HCA Healthcare
High blood pressure and AFib (atrial fibrillation) are the leading risk factors for stroke. In Middle Tennessee 336,531, or 28.50% of adults aged 18 and older have been told by a doctor that they have high blood pressure or hypertension.
Featured Recipe: Tailgate Chili
Our mouthwatering Tailgate Chili recipe not only satisfies your taste buds but is also heart-healthy! Whether you are cheering on your favorite team at the stadium or hosting a game day gathering at home, our Tailgate Chili recipe is the perfect crowd-pleaser.
Impacting the Greater Knoxville Community
In Knoxville, we are dedicated to the pursuit of longer, healthier lives by fostering a wholesome environment in the places where we live, learn, work, play, pray and health. Addressing challenges related to women’s health, readiness, tobacco & vaping, patient care and healthy living remains at the forefront of our mission. As a united community, we are actively collaborating to improve health outcomes and break socioeconomic barriers across Knoxville. Look at the highlights from just the past year!
Join 100 Ways In 100 Days
To celebrate our 100-year anniversary, we have a gift for you! Join our FREE, exclusive program to get an email each week for the next 100 days providing you with valuable health tips on eating better, moving more, and improving overall wellbeing.
Make 2024 your best year yet! Join now.
Events in Your Area
Middle Tennessee Go Red for Women Luncheon
Location: Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024 - 11:00 AM
Learn MoreKnoxville Go Red for Women Luncheon
Location: The Pavilion at Hunter Valley Farm
Date: Thursday, April 25, 2024 - 11:00 AM
Learn MoreIn Your Community
The Greater Knoxville American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in the community through four priority areas: Hypertension, Tobacco & Vaping, Nutrition Security, and CPR and AED Awareness
Problem: Hypertension: Over 30% of adults in Knox County have been diagnosed with hypertension
- Solution: The association is working with free clinics and community-based organizations throughout the Region to Establish blood pressure cuff loaner programs, and education and clinical referrals to at-risk populations.
Problem: Nutrition Insecurity: 1 in 8 people in Knox County live in a food desert. Over 12% of our total population and over 17% of Knox County children are food insecure.
- Solution: Knoxville AHA has strategically placed 14 cold storage units at local food pantries and youth-based organizations. As a result, more than 5700 people can access nutritious fruits and vegetables each month.
Problem: CPR/AED Awareness: Counties located in the south with higher proportions of rural areas, Black and Hispanic residents, and those with lower median household incomes all have lower rates of CPR training than other communities.
- Solution: Knoxville AHA provided Hands-Only CPR demonstrations to over 2000 people and donated 57 CPR anytime Kits reaching over 3700 people in Knox County.
Problem: Tobacco and Vaping: Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States.
- Solution: we are working within schools and communities to teach our next generation about the dangers of smoking and vaping. We are also providing support for those who choose to quit. AHA Advocates helped secure Tobacco 21 policy ensuring longer, quality lives for all Knox County residents
We are fighting for longer lives in Knox County by making the places where we live, learn, work, play, pray, and heal as healthy as they can be. It's no secret that under-resourced communities face great adversity and barriers that impact their heart health and overall well-being. With your support, we can expand our nutrition security, blood pressure management, and anti smoking/vaping efforts so that more of our neighbors have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, health education, and medical care. Together we will tackle these issues head on, creating a healthier Greater Knoxville for all.
Tennessee Lobby Day
On February 22 Tennessee had its first Lobby Day in several years, in partnership with the American College of Cardiology. The day was focused on educating lawmakers on a bill that criminalizes youth vaping. We had Board Members and volunteers from all over Tennessee join at the State Capitol for a full day of lobbying. Thank you to all who participated!
President
Dr. Alison L. Bailey
Centennial Heart at Parkridge
Chair Elect
Dr. Andrea Willis
Chair
Renee Ford
Elliott Davis
President Elect, Leadership Development Chair
Chris Hopkins
Apogee Wealth Partners
Members
Gregg T. Gentry
Erlanger Health System
Corinne Henderson
Henderson + Gardner, PLLC
Dr. Shewanee Howard-Baptiste
AHA Leadership Development Chair,
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Dr. Quincy Jenkins
Chattanooga State Community College
Dr. Mary Lambert
City of Chattanooga
Twila Layne
We R CPR
Dr. Chris LeSar
AHA Immediate Past President,
Vascular Institute of Chattanooga
Dr. Harish Manyam
Erlanger Health System
Pastor Ernest Reid
Second Missionary Baptist Church
Scott Rowe, PT
Encompass Health
Dr. Vimal Ramjee
President
Dr. Sumeet Sharma
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
Chairperson
Tony Benton
Tennova Healthcare
Members
Andy Beam
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Brett Foster
Knox County Schools
Eddie Jett
MBI Companies
Luke Johnson
Covenant Health
Charles F. Lomax, Jr.
Knoxville Area Urban League
Ken Parent, Past Chairperson
Pilot Company
Dr. Ayaz Rahman
Covenant Health
Cheryl Smith
CPR Choice
Marsha Spence, PhD, MPH, RDN, LDN
The University of Tennessee
Dr. Brian Wiseman, Past President
The University of Tennessee Medical Center
Katina Beard, MSPH
Matthew Walker Clinic
Eric Evans
Surgery Partners
Lynn Friedrichs
Deloitte
William Haugh, FACHE
LifePoint
Penny Houchens
Gresham Smith
Dr. Veronica Mallett, M.D., MMM
Common Spirit
Ken Misch
MEDHOST
Daniel Muñoz, MD, MPA
Vanderbilt Heart & Vascular Institute
Pal Narayanan
GEODIS
Tom Ozburn, DSc., FACHE, CMPE
TriStar Centennial
Terika Richardson, FACHE
Ardent
Evelio Rodriguez, MD
Ascension Saint Thomas
Margaret Rush, MD
Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Fahad Tahir, MAS, MBA, FACHE
Ascension Saint Thomas
Joseph Webb, D.Sc, MSHA, FACHE
Nashville General Hospital
Michael Wiechart
TeamHealth
Herman Williams, MD
HW Consulting
Stephanie Wise
TriStar Division
Mark Yancy, MPH
Nashville Health
President
Dr. John Jefferies
UT Methodist
Chair
Doug McGowen
Memphis Light Gas & Water
Dr. Andrei Alexandrov
UTHSC
Jenny Bartlett-Prescott
Church Health
Valerie Bearup
Morris Marketing Group
Andy Davis
Turner Construction Company
Dr. Cassandra Howard
Methodist Germantown Hospital
Dr. Asish Joshi
University of Memphis
Paaj Kurapati
University of Memphis
Roxanne McGonigal
Caesars Entertainment Corporation
Angela Moss
First Horizon Bank
Robyn Sharp
International Paper
Jim Sweeney
Path AI Diagnositics
Dr. Michelle Taylor
Shelby Co Health Dept
Manoucheka Thermitus
Regional One Health
Dr. Benjamin “Rush” Waller
UTHSC/Le Bonheur
Brian Yoakum
Evans Petree PC
Marques Young
Edward Jones
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Heart and Stroke News
Find science-based stories about heart and brain health and inspiring survivor profiles from American Heart Association News.