Category: Global Health & Development

By Toni Perling  Pro football legend Jerome Bettis, the former running back better known as “The Bus,” brought a heart health message to the big game in New Orleans on behalf of the CDC Foundation and the cardiovascular health initiative Live to the Beat. Bettis spoke to several of the media outlets gathered there for […]

February is American Heart Month—a time when we’re reminded that heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. But beyond prevention, there’s a crucial conversation we must amplify: preparedness. The ability to recognize and respond to a cardiac emergency can mean the difference between life and death. Yet, the vast majority of […]

Provisional data indicate that drug overdose deaths dropped 17 percent in the United States between July 2023 to July 2024—the largest decrease on record. That adds up to about 19,000 lives saved. And after decades of rising fatalities, it’s heartening to those who’ve spent years diligently working to address this devastating crisis. A program similar to […]

By Michele Egan, Chief Development Officer, MedShare  The significance of service to others cannot be overstated – volunteering and performing simple acts of kindness contribute to our well-being and foster community connections that can also combat feelings of isolation.  According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy’s 2023 Report on the Loneliness Epidemic, nearly half […]

Every person deserves the opportunity for a full and healthy life. But this is not the reality for many people of color and others whose health suffers because of social factors beyond their control. Poverty, income disparities, food insecurity and the lack of healthy housing have significant implications for health risk and the ability to […]

By Judy Monroe, MD  Bernie Marcus, who passed away in early November, played a large role in the CDC Foundation and in the presence of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta as a base to help protect people in the United States and across the globe. Most people knew Marcus as […]

As a global humanitarian aid organization dedicated to increasing access to healthcare for underserved communities around the world, MedShare continuously monitors the world’s healthcare landscape to understand the evolving challenges facing medically vulnerable populations. By prioritizing areas of greatest need, MedShare is better able to collaborate with our partners, such as governments, corporations and other […]

In 1949, Atlanta was undergoing significant changes, reshaping one of America’s most dynamic cities. The city was transitioning from a streetcar-centered layout to an automobile-focused infrastructure, with cars quickly becoming the primary mode of transportation. At the same time, Atlanta’s health landscape was also evolving, marked by the founding of the Georgia chapter of the […]

By Judy Monroe, MD  One of my first actions after being selected in 2016 by the CDC Foundation Board of Directors to serve as the president and CEO was to meet individually with each board member. Dikembe Mutombo had joined the CDC Foundation Board of Directors in the fall of 2014. We agreed to meet […]

By Kristen Taylor and Lily Samuel Has a play you’ve seen ever made you think differently? Has a mural stuck with you long after you’d walked away? Public art plays a vital role in spurring conversations, shifting cultural narratives and elevating awareness of critical issues in our communities in creative and unique ways. Investing in […]

The CDC Foundation is introducing a new take on its popular podcast series, Contagious Conversations. The updated show format will use a story arc in each episode to explore critical public health issues with experts from diverse fields. The latest episode—“The Costs of Getting Sick”—provides a behind-the-scenes look at a disease outbreak investigation and examines […]

By Judy Monroe, MD  Today our nation and world face incredible health challenges—costly infectious and chronic diseases and large-scale emergencies. These challenges take lives and negatively impact our economy. But by working together we have opportunities to positively impact health as well. For instance, the benefits offered by businesses to their employees, along with the […]

By April Biagioni  Peer navigators from the CDC Foundation’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program are on the front lines of the opioid crisis in Puerto Rico, engaging with communities across the island. Many have lived experience with substance use, so they’re not just talking the talk; they’re walking alongside individuals struggling with the issue, […]

By Ruth O’Neill In late August 2022, storms and flooding caused the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant in Jackson, MS to fail, leaving over 150,000 people without access to safe drinking water for weeks. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency and called in the national guard to help distribute bottled water to […]

By Jason Chernock, Director of Programs and Partnerships When MedShare was founded In 1998, our founders had a clear purpose in mind.  There was a tremendous need for high quality medical supplies and biomedical equipment throughout much of the world, and yet the United States had a surplus of these very items. Building of of […]

A celebration of a century of profound impact on heart health and well-being, 2024 marks the 100th birthday of the American Heart Association and the start of the organization’s Bold HeartsTM celebration. Beginning a new century of mission critical work, the organization continues the steadfast commitment to making the bold moves needed for new paths […]

By Michele Egan, Chief Development Officer, MedShare International Every year, MedShare redirects millions of pounds of high-quality medical supplies and critical biomedical equipment to vulnerable healthcare systems in the US and around the world. In order to do this life-saving work, it requires three essential elements: funding, quality supplies & equipment, and dedicated volunteers. We […]

By Michele Egan, Chief Development Officer Atlanta is home to many amazing organizations that fight on behalf of marginalized men, women, and children. Education, employment status, income, gender and ethnicity are among the myriad of social factors that are barriers to so many in our community. Some, like Communities in Schools, work to give underserved […]

By Claire Stinson  As we look forward to the year ahead, we are taking this opportunity to look back at some of the many highlights from our Contagious Conversations podcast in 2023. This year, we covered topics as diverse as community-based approaches to veteran suicide prevention, training the next generation of public health professionals and […]