2018 Grand Rapids Hard Hats With Heart
We are building a healthier community! Be a part of the Inaugural Hard Hats With Heart and help us build a healthier community as you stand up to fight against cardiovascular disease, Kent County’s No. 1 killer. Cardiovascular disease accounts for 1 in 3 deaths nationally and in Kent County, but with your help, we can change that! 80% of cardiac and stroke events can be prevented with education and action.
Let’s spend an evening celebrating the life-saving work of the American Heart Association in our community. Our evening of giving features food, fun, entertainment, and more. You will have the opportunity to network with attendees from the construction industry as well as local survivors of heart disease and stroke.
Why Hard Hats With Heart?
Life is Why. We want people to experience more of life's precious moments. It's why we've made better heart and brain health our mission. And until there's a world free of heart disease and stroke, we'll be here, working to make a healthier, longer life possible for everyone. Events like Hard Hats With Heart are an integral part of funding the American Heart Association’s mission.
Did you know?
• Adults in the construction industry have a slightly higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases compared to all other industries
• Construction workers put themselves in a higher risk category due to the prevalence of tobacco use (27.3% compared to 16.7% in all other industries), obesity, and lack of physical activity outside of work
• 1 in 3 adults over the age of 20 have high blood pressure (20% don’t know they have it), increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke
• Cardiovascular diseases and stroke cost America nearly $1 billion dollars a day in medical costs and loss productivity (and rising)
Your Contribution Matters.The American Heart Association (AHA) has already made an extraordinary impact on heart and brain health through research, education and advocacy efforts. Below are a few examples of how the AHA is working to make a healthier, longer life possible for every person in our community.
- Funded research that led to the development of the stent, pacemaker, artificial heart valve, CPR, blood pressure medication, cholesterol lowering medication, heart transplantation techniques (to name a few)
- Smoke free air to enjoy evenings out as a family without harmful secondhand smoke
- AED accessibility mandated in more public places
- Partnerships with local hospitals to ensure best patient outcomes in regard to death and disability
- All babies born in Michigan are now screened for congenital heart defects at birth
Don’t miss out on this unforgettable evening with life-saving significance! We’ve made great progress, but much work still lies ahead. We can work together to ensure all people experience more of life’s precious moments with healthier hearts and minds.
