American Heart Association
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Building a culture of health in Nashville
Nashville has deep musical heritage, legendary country influence and attractions like the famed Music Row. Our thriving home, recently described as a “southern boom town,” is growing at an unprecedented rate. Our sites, sounds, impressive culture, and top-notch culinary scene attracts people from around the world. Yet it's our diverse, wonderful people and unique neighborhoods that keep the beat of Music City. We are proud of flourishing cultural city, but we’re faced with many health challenges. Heart disease is our #1 killer. Childhood obesity is at an all-time high. Social determinants of health often dictate life expectancy from neighborhood to neighborhood. Despite these challenges, we’re fighting harder than ever to encourage positive lifestyle changes. New mothers and families are learning CPR. We're offering balanced cooking classes in community centers. We're advocating for PE in our schools and fostering quality health care for all citizens. Join us and together we can build a healthier Middle Tennessee.
Health Measurements
Percent of adults with...
Lifestyle Risk Factors
Our Community
Cain Clinkscales, survivor
Clain Clinkscales was born with a severe congenital heart defect and underwent several open-heart surgeries, the first one only 12 days after birth. Cain’s family turned to the American Heart Association for support and information. Today, at 10-years old, Cain and his family are long-time volunteers and supporters and help the AHA reach out to other parents who may be facing similar challenges with CHD.
Closing Equity Gaps
EmPOWERED To Serve™ is a movement inspired by our multicultural volunteers around the country who are passionate about driving change through health justice in their communities. These committed ambassadors are impacting gaps in health equity through advocacy, policy, education and social change.
The Lifesaver Generation
When CPR is preformed properly and promptly during cardiac arrest, survival rates can double or triple. We fought to make this lifesaving training a graduation requirement for all Tennessee students, and now train more than 60,000 in-state teenagers each year. By filling our city with bystanders equipped to take action, we are helping to improve survival odds for everyone in Nashville.
Arming Nashville Healthcare Workers
Target: BP™ has launched in Nashville, providing health professionals with the tools to effectively manage patients' blood pressure. There are 24 health organizations enrolled in Middle Tennessee. Find out what high blood pressure is, and arm yourself with the knowledge about this "silent killer" affecting millions of people.
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.
Focus on Quality
Patient outcomes improve when medical professionals apply the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatment guidelines. That’s the simple truth behind the obsession with continuous quality improvement. Our entire suite of programs can help advance your efforts farther and faster in the quest for ever-better care.
Why Cholesterol Matters
There are few warning signs of high cholesterol, but the impact is real. By lowering your cholesterol, you'll reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Take control today. Manage your cholesterol levels by making healthy lifestyle choices and following a sound medical treatment plan.
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.
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.
Heart-Healthy Cooking Demos
Our young professionals PULSE Board partnered with the local Nashville farmer's market and chef Laura Rodriguez to provide a live cooking demonstration and tasting at the Friday night event. Cooking heart-healthy recipes has never been easier!
“I’ve had the privilege to work with the Greater Nashville American Heart and American Stroke Association for several years and am a great supporter of their work due to my personal experience with heart disease and stroke throughout my life. The mission really hit home for me one day when I suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at the Nashville Airport. My life was saved using bystander CPR, something the American Heart and American Stroke Association has worked tirelessly to teach.”
–Herman Williams, MD, MBA, Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer RCCH Healthcare Partners
State Policy Win
To give kids the building blocks for a healthy life, we helped establish statewide education standards for nutrition, physical activity, and screen-time for both center- and home-based early childcare settings.
Advocate for a healthier Tennessee(link opens in new window)
Funding Local Researchers
Research is a pillar of the American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission. Over the past 10 years, we’ve awarded 235 grants totaling $38 million to Nashville-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.
Local Research Spotlight
“Our overarching goal is to understand and create a customized treatment plan for obese individuals at high risk for heart disease and to prevent the development of heart disease. This is called personalized, or precision medicine. We will understand how to identify people are at unusually high risk to develop heart disease, which will be useful in developing new medications that we hope are significantly more effective at treating obesity and heart disease.”
–Kevin Niswender, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt University 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.
Rolanda Perkins suffered a heart attack in 2005. She was totally unprepared, unaware and uneducated about information pertaining to heart health. Since then, she’s become a loyal volunteer and a national spokesperson for the Go Red For Women campaign raising awareness about living heart-healthy lifestyles.
“Had I known then what I know today, I might have had a better chance of preventing my episode. I don’t want what happened to me to become a chapter in someone else’s life. I’ve been blessed with a chance to help empower others to take control of their heart health.”
–Rolanda Perkins, Nashville survivor
Across the Volunteer 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
Greater Nashville Heart Walk
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Vanderbilt University - Capers Field
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. Walk in memory of someone you love, or create a team.
Rutherford Heart Walk
Saturday, September 21, 2019
The Gateway Trail at MMC
Middle Tennessee Go Red For Women Luncheon
April 11, 2019
Marathon Music Works
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!
Middle Tennessee Heart Gala
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 Middle Tennessee!
Rutherford Heart Ball
Get Involved
Why I support the AHA…
“As Tennessee natives, Jim and I are especially passionate about improving the quality of lives in our state. We invest in the AHA because it makes lives better by systematically changing local and state policy, improving quality care in rural areas and educating women - the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of the household - to live healthier. It has been meaningful to see our philanthropy inspire others to also invest in the AHA. ”
–Janet Ayers, an American Heart Association donor in Nashville
Contact Us
Local Leadership
Middle Tennessee Board of Directors
Board Chair
John P. GromosVice President, General Manager
Turner Construction
Board President
Walter K. Clair, M.D.Associate Professor, Executive Medical Director
Vanderbilt Health and Vascular Institute
Past Board Chair
David M. Dill
President and Chief Operating Officer
LifePoint Health
Past Board President
Thomas S. JohnstonM.D. Cardiologist
TriStar Health
Board President Elect
Evelio Rodriguez, M.D.
Cardiac Surgeon
Saint Thomas Medical Partners
Board Members
Greg Allen
President
Cigna MidSouth
Scott Cihak
CEO
Centennial Medical Center
Marilyn A. Dubree
Executive Chief Nursing Officer,
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Carl Haley, Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Grand Avenue
Ken Harms
Damon T. Hininger
President and Chief Executive Officer,
CoreCivic
Angela Humphreys
Chair, Healthcare Practice Group
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
Shawn Joseph, Ed.D.
Director
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Alfred Lumsdaine
Chief Financial Officer
Quorum Health Corporation
Ken Misch
Chief Financial Officer
MEDHOST, Inc.
Pal Narayanan
CIO
GEODIS
Steve Otto
Chief Executive Officer
TriStar Skyline Medical Center
Dr. William S. Paul,
Director
Metro Public Health Department
M.D., Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Chief Health System Officer and Chairman
Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network
Nelson Shields
Nextime, Inc
Brian Waller
Chief Strategy Officer and Founding Partner
Vaco, LLC
Michael Wiechart
Exec. VP and COO
TEAMHealth
A. Brian Wilcox, Jr., M.D.
Chief Clinical Officer
RCCH HealthCare Partners
Herman Williams, M.D.
Chief Clinical Officer
RCCH HealthCare
Amy Wilson
Chief Nursing Officer
Satin Thomas Health
John C. Witt, M.D.
Medical Director Comprehensive Stroke Center
TriStar Health
Beth Workman
Chief Financial Officer
United Derm Partners
Advisory Council
Clay Bright
Vice President
Brasfield & Gorrie
Dick Cowart
Chair-Health Law & Public Policy Departments
Baker Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Richard L. Miller
President
ESa
Heather J. Rohan
Division President
TriStar Health
James C. Seabury, III
Chief Executive Officer
Enterprise Solutions
Keith Wolken
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
SMS Holdings Corp.