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​Since this past summer, our collaboration with AHA has allowed us to conduct our own independent health assessments and distribute AHA-provided brochures and materials at local health fairs. HASA volunteers have participated in at least one health fair every month, including the Baltimore Heart Walk, World Stroke Day, and the Collington Park’s Day of Hope. At each event, we educate over thirty community members by informing them about stroke risk factors, distributing pamphlets, and conducting free blood pressure screenings. We have also hosted several cooking demonstrations and distributed free samples from heart-healthy recipe books, to encourage community members to lead healthier lifestyles. Recently, we have partnered with the Karis Home homeless shelter to provide blood pressure screenings and health insurance information at the home every other weekend.



 

At the Johns Hopkins Hospital Stroke Ward, HASA members volunteer with nurses every weekend to educate stroke patients and their families on ways to minimize the risk of having future strokes. One-on-one time with patients is extremely helpful in the transition from in-patient care to discharge and rehabilitation. Volunteers also take advantage of the opportunity to shadow the attending physicians during their morning rounds, which is a great learning experience and complement to our stroke education efforts.We are working to host weekday workshops with discharged patients, in which we would provide interactive stroke awareness sessions and deliver healthy-cooking demonstrations.