About the Nonprofit
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The American Heart Association & American Stroke Association is the nation’s oldest, largest voluntary organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Founded by six cardiologists in 1924, our organization now includes more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters working tirelessly to eliminate these diseases. We fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to save and improve lives.
Our Mission: Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Our mission drives everything we do.
What We Do: To improve the lives of all Americans, we provide public health education in a variety of ways.
We’re the nation’s leader in CPR education training. We help people understand the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. We provide science-based treatment guidelines to healthcare professionals to help ensure the best treatment for every patient, every time. We educate lawmakers, policy makers and the public as we advocate for changes to protect and improve the health of our communities.
Our volunteer experts select scientific research most worthy of funding – with great results. We have funded more than $3.5 billion in research since 1949, more than any organization outside the federal government. We have funded 13 Nobel Prize winners and lifesaving advancements such as the first artificial heart valve, cholesterol-inhibiting drugs, heart transplant capabilities, and CPR techniques and guidelines.
Why We’re Needed: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. Stroke ranks fourth and is a leading cause of severe adult disability.
