Meet the American Heart Association’s new Advocacy Coordinating Committee (AdCC) Chair, Dr. Elliott Antman! As Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, he brings valuable expertise and passion to the AHA’s advocacy work, which aims to translate scientific discoveries into actionable results through policy change.
Citing a recent study in the medical journal Circulation (October 30, 2012), Dr. Antman reflected upon the ability to make change happen starting at the local level and the impact grassroots advocates can truly have. The study spoke to the improved health outcomes when strong public health policies, like smoke-free laws, were adopted and implemented.
As a You’re the Cure advocate himself, Dr. Antman came to Washington, D.C. in June to advocate for National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding. He joined fellow survivor and researcher-advocates from Massachusetts as they met with Members of Congress and their staff. “Lobby Days are an extremely rewarding experience,” he said. “Volunteers can communicate with elected officials under the banner of AHA and provide them with information that is vital to the issues central to the mission of the association.”
If you haven’t attended a You’re the Cure event yet, Dr. Antman encourages you to go for it! “Anyone looking to get involved in legislative activities can rely on the expertise of the AHA staff to prepare them,” he shared. Simply reach out to your state advocacy staff partners today to learn about opportunities to make a difference from Capitol Hill to your community.
Having been a volunteer for the AHA for almost forty years, Dr. Antman’s final words of advice for advocates is: “No matter how much time you have, there are many ways to contribute to the AHA. Whether through advocacy, research contributions, or fundraising, it’s easy to get involved and the AHA provides support along the way to help you”.
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