NACDS Foundation announces recipients of 'Million Hearts Team Up, Pressure Down' grants

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation announced on Tuesday the recipients of the Million Hearts Team Up, Pressure Down public education grants. The NACDS Foundation’s support will provide $35,000 in funding for community health fairs during the month of September, hosted by 15 schools and colleges of pharmacy nationwide.

Team Up, Pressure Down is a pharmacy-based program starting in September within the Million Hearts initiative, which was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Million Hearts initiative, with key stakeholders including the NACDS Foundation, aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years by raising public awareness about blood pressure control, cholesterol management and smoking cessation.

 

In September, through the combined outreach of student pharmacists and faculty members, the selected schools and colleges of pharmacy will host community health fairs. The health fairs will feature student pharmacist-led blood pressure screenings, cholesterol screenings, and medication reviews. In the United States alone, cardiovascular disease costs $444 billion every year in medical expenses and lost worker productivity.

 

“Student pharmacists will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in their communities through preventive care services,” stated NACDS Foundation president Kathleen Jaeger. “The NACDS Foundation is thrilled to work with these schools to improve the health and wellness of patients from across the country, and we are excited to continue to support the great work of HHS as they work toward the goal of preventing one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years.”

 

The recipients — selected from nearly 70 applicant schools and colleges of pharmacy — are:

 

1. Chicago State University


2. Duquesne University


3. Harding University


4. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences-Boston


5. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences-Worcester


6. Roosevelt University


7. Texas A&M University


8. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences


9. University of Minnesota


10. University of Mississippi


11. University of New Mexico


12. University of North Carolina


13. University of Oklahoma


14. University of South Florida


15. Western New England University