American Heart Association’s “Power To End Stroke” Campaign

Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die. The burden of stroke is greater among African Americans than in any other group. In fact, blacks have almost twice the risk of first-ever stroke compared with whites, and blacks 35–54 years old have four times the relative risk for stroke. The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, has launched an awareness campaign to help inform the African American community of the issue. As part of this program, it has made available a Soul Food Recipes cookbook, to help reduce the risk of stroke by improving diet. And as a means to help raise funds for the campaign, a special tribute CD to Luther Vandross has been created, featuring Kirk Whalum, Patti Austin, Jeff Lorber, Gerald Albright, Wayman Tisdale, Maysa & Kevin Whalum, Norman Brown & Everette Harp, Najee, Jonathan Butler, and Will Downing.