WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease Receives Community Grant from CVS Health

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease has announced today that it has received a community grant from CVS Health. The program was created by CVS Health as part of its commitment to building healthier communities and support nonprofit organizations that are providing much-needed access to health care for at-risk and underserved populations.

The support from CVS Health will help WomenHeart award National Hospital Alliance (NHA) membership grants to two hospitals in underserved communities to provide much-needed support and education to their women heart patients.

This announcement comes on the day that WomenHeart celebrates the 15 Year Anniversary of its flagship training program, the Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. WomenHeart trains 50 women living with heart disease annually through this program to be Support Network leaders, community educators, advocates and spokespersons – the "boots on the ground" in the fight against heart disease in women.

The WomenHeart National Hospital Alliance is the nation's only partnership program between WomenHeart and progressive hospitals committed to advancing women's heart health and gender specific cardiovascular care. The two selected hospitals will increase their capacity to advance women's heart health in their community through the many benefits of the NHA partnership with WomenHeart. Two women heart patients will be sent for volunteer training at the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic to establish a free peer-led WomenHeart Support Network at the hospital. In addition, the two hospitals will have access to WomenHeart's educational materials which are reviewed and approved by WomenHeart's nationally renowned Scientific Advisory Council, as well as the opportunity to participate in WomenHeart's educational programs, media opportunities and professional education offerings.

"We are grateful for the generous support of CVS Health which allows us to partner with hospitals in under-served communities to provide lifesaving peer-led support services and patient education to the most at-risk women in the country," said Mary McGowan, CEO, WomenHeart. "Patient support and education will empower women living with and at risk for heart disease in these communities to live longer, healthier lives, impacting better patient outcomes," she added.

"As a pharmacy innovation company, we are committed to helping people on their path to better health. We are proud to support organizations that increase access to quality health care because we know their efforts are critical to delivering better community health," said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy, CVS Health. "We are pleased to support the work that WomenHeart does in the community and we look forward to working with them to fulfill their program's mission."

WomenHeart was selected to receive a grant through the CVS Health Community Grants 2016 application process. Grants were awarded to organizations, such as community health centers and mobile health clinics, which support CVS Health's commitment to enhance the health and well-being for at-risk underserved populations by offering quality health and rehabilitation services and health education.

WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
As the leading voice to the 43 million American women living with or at risk of heart disease, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is the nation's only patient-centered organization solely dedicated to advancing women's heart health through patient support, community education and advocacy. WomenHeart is both a coalition and a community of thousands of members nationwide, including women heart patients and their families, healthcare professionals, and health advocates, all committed to helping women live longer, healthier lives. To join or donate, visit www.womenheart.org.

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SOURCE WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

Related Links

http://www.womenheart.org