American Heart Association - Illinois

30/10/2026

Strokes can happen to anyone. Knowing the signs can be the difference between life and death.

Today on we hope you took some time to learn more about heart and brain health. We also hope you celebrated the stroke survivors in your life.

When someone is having a stroke, the minutes matter. Knowing how to B.E. F.A.S.T. is critical and can save a life. If you see or experience:

❤️B – Balance Loss
❤️E – Eye Changes
❤️F – Face Drooping
❤️A – Arm Weakness
❤️S – Speech Difficulty
❤️T – Time to Call Emergency Services

Thank you to our survivors, Minnie Watkins, Brady Johnson, and our expert physicians, Dr. Karen Orjuela and Dr. Ali Rada Eltatawy from Uchicago Medicine for helping us get the word out about stroke awareness in Chicago. Your stories are a powerful source of information — and information is key to prevention in the fight to make stroke a thing of the past worldwide!

28/10/2026

is TOMORROW and we're proud of survivors like Minnie Watkins, who prove every day that there is life and art after a stroke.

Days before her brother's funeral in 2020, renowned Chicago portrait artist Minnie Watkins noticed she was having balance issues. She asked her friends to take her to the doctor, where she learned she'd had an ischemic stroke that led to mobility problems on her left side.

Though Minnie painted with her right hand, the stroke also impacted her vision and facial recognition — a crushing loss for a portrait artist.

Minnie eventually regained feeling on her left side and learned to walk with a cane.

She shifted to abstract paintings to continue her artistic expression and tell her story of life and artistry after a devastating stroke.

Last year, the American Heart Association commissioned one of Minnie's paintings to be turned into a mural in Los Angeles in celebration of Stroke Month. Minnie continues to share her story in the media and on panel discussions. Most importantly, Minnie is showing with every color, line and painting that you can create your own comeback story after a stroke where you get to be protagonist, hero and, most importantly, A SURVIVOR.

Go Minnie!

28/10/2026

We are thrilled to recognize the results of Hy-Vee's Life is Why campaign, which raised more than $315,000 for the American Heart Association's mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are so grateful! www.heart.org/LifeisWhyCampaign

27/10/2026

Big news for women's health, and Chicago is helping lead the way. ❤️

A new landmark framework from the American Heart Association and partner medical organizations is changing how we think about cardiovascular health in girls and women by recognizing the critical connections between heart health, hormonal health and reproductive health throughout a woman's life.

We're especially proud that Chicago-based cardiovascular experts Dr. Sadiya Khan and Dr. Amanda Marma Perak played key roles in advancing this groundbreaking work.

Together, this work has the potential to improve prevention, care and outcomes for millions of women and girls.

Learn more: https://newsroom.heart.org/news/leading-health-groups-redefine-heart-health-for-girls-and-women

26/10/2026

25/10/2026

Grateful Hearts + Meaningful Connections = One Incredible Circle. ❤️

Chicago’s Grateful Hearts Reception brought our Circle of Red Society community together for an inspiring evening of connection, shared stories and powerful conversations about women’s heart health, with local health experts sharing insights and practical ways to take action for our health.

Through Circle of Red, passionate champions come together to deepen their connection to the Go Red for Women mission, build community and help create a healthier future for women.

24/10/2026

Ahead of today's game we want to congratulate Northwestern University head coach, David Braun, for being named to the 2026 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award Watch List. We're honored to recognize leaders who make a difference in football and in their communities.

📰 - https://bryantawards.org/paul-bear-bryant-awards-announce-2026-coach-of-the-year-award-watch-list/

23/10/2026

What an inspiring evening at Counsel for a Cause! ❤️

Together with Chicago's legal community, we celebrated more than a decade of impact supporting the mission of the American Heart Association. Throughout the evening, we heard from Brittany Walsh, Executive Director of the AHA in Chicago; Christine Rosso, incoming 2027 Chair; and Gail Hasbrouck, founder of Counsel for a Cause, who presented the Hasbrouck Heart Award to this year's honoree, Jill Vorobiev.

We were also reminded of the lifesaving power of CPR through a powerful survivor story and raised funds to continue investing in research, advocacy, and education that help people live longer, healthier lives.

Thank you to our sponsors, volunteers, donors, and supporters for making the evening such a success. Together, we're creating more lifesavers across Chicagoland. ❤️

21/10/2026

The American Heart Association and Chicago Bears had a blast training over 100 youth coaches and players in Hands-Only CPR at the IHSA Girls Flag Football State Finals! Thank you to Greta Warren for spending the morning with us sharing this lifesaving education!

18/10/2026

Closing out our Chicago Marathon runner spotlights by celebrating and sending a heartfelt THANK YOU to Team Run With Heart’s top fundraiser, Bill Weingarten. Bill is a long-time marathon runner and heart attack survivor who used his journey to fuel his support of the American Heart Association’s mission.

“Twenty-two years ago, I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon with a medal around my neck and a huge smile on my face.

I've stayed active ever since - running, staying fit and taking my health seriously, but I haven't felt compelled to run 26.2 miles again. Until now.

Last year I had a heart attack. It was a scare, but I came through it fully recovered. And the experience gave me a new cause that I believe in deeply, the American Heart Association.

So this October, I'm running the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon to raise money for the American Heart Association.

The American Heart Association funds the research, education, and emergency response systems that help people like me survive heart events and go on to live full, active lives. That work is personal to me now. I want to give back in a meaningful way — and running 26.2 miles through the city I love feels like the right way to do it.

My goal is to raise $25,000. Every dollar goes directly to the Association's life-saving mission. If you can contribute, it would mean the world to me.

Thank you for being a part of my life and for helping me with this goal!”