Join the Million Hearts™ Caregiver Video Contest

Background on Million Hearts™

Million Hearts™ is a national initiative to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes in the United States over the next 5 years. The initiative was launched by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in September 2011, and it is led by the CDC and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Together, we aim to prevent heart attacks and strokes and help Americans live longer, healthier, more productive lives.
Heart disease and stroke (sometimes called a brain attack) are the first and fourth leading causes of death in the United States. Together they cause nearly 1 of every 3 deaths in the country. Americans suffer more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes each year, and every day, 2,200 people die from one of these conditions and other cardiovascular diseases. The good news is that many of the major modifiable risk factors—high blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, and obesity—can be prevented and controlled, and Million Hearts™ can help.

How You Can Help

In order to recognize individuals who work hard to provide care for their families and friends and give them a chance to share their stories, CDC and Million Hearts™ launches the “Million Hearts™ Caregiver Video Challenge” this week on July 16. The nation-wide contest is open for submissions until August 31. A caregiver is a family member, friend, or someone who provides care to a parent, child, friend, or other loved one. Caregivers play an important role in maintaining and improving the heart health of loved ones.
CDC and Million Hearts™ invite people who play a role in helping to prevent or control high blood pressure or maintain the heart health of a loved one to share their stories of caregiving by creating original, compelling videos that are less than 2 minutes long. The videos should include the variety of ways a caregiver contributes to another person’s heart health, including but not limited to:

Reminders/encouragement related to medication use, particularly for blood pressure control and cholesterol management
Contest guidelines, rules and submission information
Support for physical activity and healthy eating—no trans fat and lower sodium
Support for quitting smoking
Emotional support
Assistance when there are physical limitations
Balancing caregiver role with taking care of yourself

Participants will submit their videos to millionhearts.challenge.gov

. Submissions will be judged on set criteria by a panel of judges. The first place winner will win $500. Second and third places winners will receive $250 each. All prize money was donated by private donors through the CDC Foundation. The video submitted by the 1^st place winner will be placed on Million Hearts™ YouTube playlist and CDC’s Healthy Streaming YouTube channel, be shared through social media, and be featured on the Million Hearts™ website.
Contest guidelines, rules and submission information can be found at millionhearts.challenge.gov

. Judging will take place during September 10-28, 2012. Winners will be announced October 8, 2012.
If you are a caregiver or you know someone who is a caregiver, join this contest today, create a video, and help Million Hearts™ save lives.