What is the leading cause of death for Americans? Heart disease – and two siblings in Oak Park are working together to not only spread awareness, but also to raise money to combat this killer.
Evan Pope, 18, and his sister, Vivien Pope, 14, both students at Oak Park and River Forest High School, are competing in this year’s American Heart Association’s Teen of Impact nine-week competition.
The competition is focused on raising awareness across communities about the importance of heart health and how to know the warning signs of a potential heart attack.
The sibling duo launched their campaign on National Wear Red Day, February 2, and has until April 4 at 9 p.m. to raise the most funds in hopes of being named the 2024 Teen of Impact – or teens, in this case.
According to the American Heart Association website, through the “blind competition” teens build campaign plans and recruit people to join their “team,” as they raise awareness for heart health.
“Heart disease runs in our family,” Evan said. “We have had relatives who have died from it so it hit home there.”
The American Heart Association, founded in 1924, is a national organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and strokes.
According to the association, heart disease is the number one killer worldwide, with strokes ranking second globally and has maintained its position as the number one killer for over a century, a report from a report called 2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of U.S. and Global Date From the American Heart Association shows.
Yet surveys also how that most people don’t make that connection. For example, a January report from the AHA showed that more than half of those who responded to the 2023 Harris Poll survey did not identify heart disease as the leading cause of death in the country.
The Pope siblings have been working hard to spread awareness, reaching out to people in their community to raise awareness and money to benefit the organization.
The teens have a goal of $8,000.
“We are reaching out to anyone and everyone we know and each week to try to come up with a fun fact in hopes to receive some donation,” Evan said.
The teens put together a short ad for their churches to promote their campaign and to educate members of Trinity United Church of Christ on the South Side of Chicago about heart health during a CPR event the church hosted.
The teens are also organizing other events, including a CPR event, to continue to raise awareness, Evan said.
As a member of the local chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., a membership organization dedicated to nurturing African American leaders, Vivien said she hopes to potentially bring an activity around CPR to the community.
Heart health is of particular concern to the African-American community.
African Americans are 30% more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanics whites, and African American women are almost 50% more likely to have high blood pressure compared with non-Hispanic white women, statistics show.
As the teens continue to spread awareness, they have built their team up to 12 members and are continuing to accept donations through April 4.
To support the Pope siblings, donations can be made through the American Heart Association Teen of Impact website.
“We know it is going to make a difference in today’s society,” Vivien said.