While COVID-19 is still a prominent threat in our society today, there is a silent killer out there that managed to slip from the cracks. Deadlier than cancer and the regular flu combined. This killer’s name is heart disease, and it is the worst of them all. Heart disease is and is going to continue to be a major issue in society and in our communities. Many lives have been lost, families destroyed, and future Einstein's and Musk’s lost. In totality, we as a society need better education in heart related diseases and what one can do to help prevent them from being another statistic. To do that, we as a society need to come together and support one another in order to make life better for everyone. 

Firstly, to back up my call-to-action, heart disease is the #1 killer in the US and around the world. In fact, according to the CDC, heart disease kills around 655,000 people a year. That is more than any other form of death, other than the natural kind of course. One would think that the deaths of 655,000 people should be enough for scientists and the public to put more emphasis on the idea of heart disease and how to prevent it/researching new treatment options that can help to lower the mortality rate in those that are suffering. However, despite the advancements that were completed since the start of the 21st century, what’s being done right now is not enough in the long term. It is time for the general population to step up and create change. 

Secondly, heart disease has a physical and emotional impact on those that had a family member that fell victim to one of the various conditions. Physically, heart disease affects a family member of a victim of heart disease as there is a chance that a loved one dying could trigger a heart related illness in an immediate family member, according to ScienceNordic citing a European Heart Journal study. Regardless, there is for sure an effect on one’s mental well-being as a result of losing a loved one prematurely, in which a lot of heart related illnesses are. If society can help limit the impact of heart disease, a lot more families will be at peace and will be able to see their loved ones next Thanksgiving. 

Thirdly, heart disease is a major and prominent issue in our society today as a lot of survivors of heart related illnesses will also continue to have some sort of conditions that were a result of the heart related illness or the treatment for that said illness. These survivors, while still alive, will still have to face challenges that might result in losing a job or having a much more difficult finding a job that one can do with a condition that was the result of heart disease.
As shown through Million Hearts, a group within the Department of Health and Human Services, survivors of heart related diseases will “continue to face challenges in terms of disabilities and a general lower quality of life.” Furthermore, heart disease, including research, treatment, and lost jobs is expensive. In fact, again citing Million Hearts, in 2011, heart disease accounted for $316.6 billion in both health care costs and lost productivity. If we can help to limit the impact of heart disease, we as a society can hopefully reduce the money spent or at least redistributing the money towards research and new treatment options. 

I have stressed before that we as a community and society in general have to come together to find solutions that work for everyone. The first step in this process is better education of heart related illnesses and how to prevent them. Thankfully, do to the internet and further research that has been conducted as a result. Researchers and doctors have definitive ways in stopping the impact of heart disease and the effects of the human body. Exercising is an important way to help with limiting the possibility of a serious heart related disease. However, as easy as expercising sounds, a lot of people get discouraged as they think that they have to work really hard in order to see results. In reality, while hard work is needed, just a 30 minute walk is enough in order to help keep the heart healthy as the heart is still getting worked by pumping blood throughout the body. Also, a lot think that they have to always do some sort of cardio workout regime. While this is not correct, it is essential that we educate others that there are other options. I.E. any exercise that makes the heart pump (beat) faster. It is also essential that we educate the next generation of heart diseases and prevention as that is the first step in providing the steppings stones needed in order to create a healthier society. Also, it is important to keep kids interested in listing heart disease and can be done with activities that are interesting and fun yet contain the necessary message of the prevention of heart related diseases. Investing in better treatment options is also necessary in order to improve the quality of life for victims of heart diseases and help prevent those that are currently suffering from death or other long term conditions. One concept that is worth investing in are social groups that help connect survivors of similar heart related conditions together in order to share experiences and what each other are doing in order to keep busy and maintain a healthy life. It is also important that there are groups in lower income communities that can help provide healthy and nutritious meals to those that need it the most. As heart disease does not take in race, gender, class, or ethnicity into consideration. (Some conditions might affect different races differently but most conditions are found in all people.) Moreover, we as a society need to invest in institutions that are continuing to make strides in the healthcare community that are helping decrease the mortality rate of many heart related diseases by finding more efficient and safer treatment options for a greater amount of people. While prevention should and will be the #1 priority, it is inevitable the people will continue to have these heart related diseases. But those that have a heart related disease, no matter if he or she could have prevented it, should not have to sacrifice their life and their loved ones in order to pay the price. 

In conclusion, I call on my fellow community members to educate themselves on the dangers of heart disease. Teach the next generation on how to prevent the effects of heart diseases. And invest in institutions that will create new treatment options that will help society. And if you are still on the ledge, heart disease affects everyone, are you next?