Award recognizes impact of Move with the Mayor®
The National Hypertension Control Roundtable (NHCR) has named the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention as an inaugural recipient of its Sal Lucido Hypertension Hero Award.
This award recognizes the National Forum’s Move with the Mayor® (MWTM) initiative for its work to improve hypertension (high blood pressure) management. The NHCR honored the National Forum on Nov. 12 during its annual summit.
Over the last decade, MWTM has engaged more than 200 mayors across the country to implement programs, policies, and environmental changes, empowering residents to prevent or control high blood pressure. The program fosters healthier, more active communities and supports mayors as they lead local efforts to address cardiovascular health.
The National Forum’s partnerships with organizations such as the US Conference of Mayors, the African American Mayors Association, and the Forum for Community Leaders allow MWTM to reach communities disproportionately affected by high blood pressure.
“We are honored to receive the NHCR Hypertension Hero Award,” said John M. Clymer, executive director of the National Forum. “Move with the Mayor® shows the profound impact that local leadership can have on community members’ health. Mayors are uniquely positioned to inspire change, build trust, and collaborate with diverse sectors to make lasting improvements in hypertension control and fair opportunities to attain health.”
MWTM provides a scalable model for cross-sector collaboration. Local leaders work with public health agencies, community organizations, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders to enact sustainable changes that make it easier for people to adopt healthy habits.
In 22 cities, mayors have implemented an average of nine Community Preventive Services Task Force-recommended interventions to improve cardiovascular health. In Green Bay, for example, MWTM contributed to a 27.7% hypertension rate among city employees (compared to the national average of 32.5%), along with increased smoke-free living and physical activity rates.
To learn more about MWTM, visit nationalforum.org/mwtm.
Media Contact
Amanda Thomas
Communications Coordinator, National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
(770) 609-0674
amanda.thomas.ic@nationalforum.org
