Heart to heart

The Oklahoma division of the American Heart Association is seeking congregations for its Battle of the Heart Program.

The Oklahoma division of the American Heart Association is currently seeking applicants for its Battle of the Heart Program.

The program, which is part of the “Check. Change. Control.” blood pressure initiative, is open to faith-based groups that are interested in improving the heart health of their congregation. Fifteen groups will be chosen — five small churches, five medium churches and five large churches. Each selected group will receive a monetary stipend at the completion of the program.

About 78 million adults in the U.S. have hypertension and about 17 million of those are unaware or undiagnosed. High blood pressure is a universal risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. respectively.

“Check. Change. Control.” is a four-month program that uses a free web-based health management tool. The tool allows individuals to track and chart their blood pressure numbers. The program also offers participants education about hypertension, stroke blood pressure management, nutrition and physical activity. The deadline to register a faith-based group for the program is Friday. For more information or to register, contact Shante Fenner, American Heart Association’s multicultural initiatives director, at Shante. Fenner@heart.org.