The Heart Truth - Road Show

The 2009 Heart Truth Road Show, co-presented by partners Diet Coke and General Mills, reached thousands of individuals with life-saving messages about heart disease risk.

Overall, The Heart Truth screened a total of 4,750 people for heart disease risk factors during the 2009 Road Show. Of the participants who completed the survey on their screening forms, 64 percent reported that they would take steps to improve their heart health following their participation in the Road Show; and 58 percent indicated that they would talk to a doctor about their risk factors for heart disease to improve their hearth health. Further, in several cases where screening results warranted, the screenings prompted participants to go straight to the hospital for a check-up.

The Road Show exhibit and screenings were viewed as an extremely valuable resource: visitors repeatedly cited their employment status and lack of health care as the main draw that brought them by the exhibit. Many visitors who were screened later returned with their entire family.

Below are some personal anecdotes and observations from the six-city Road Show. Also, visit the road show photographs to view pictures of the exhibit.

• After learning that Latinos are at higher risk for developing heart disease, one Hispanic man participated in the free screening and then brought his entire family, including his wife and children, to get tested and learn about how they could take steps to live a heart healthy life. (Minneapolis, MN)

• The power of the Red Dress symbol was demonstrated when a woman stopped by the Houston Road Show to request the Red Dress Pin for her daughter who was about to have heart surgery. She asked her mother for the Red Dress Pin before she underwent her procedure. (Houston, TX)

• A local cardiologist and her teenage daughter visited the Road Show together. While the mother had access to the screening tests at her work, she felt it was important that they be screened together since heart disease risk runs in families. (Houston, TX)

• When a 28-year-old woman got screened, she knew her diabetes put her at higher risk for heart disease, but she was shocked to hear that her cholesterol was very high as well which increased her risk. After receiving her results, she talked with the volunteer cardiologist about steps she could take to reduce her risk and doctors she could visit. (Charlotte, NC)

• While a woman was filling out her screening form, the staff onsite asked her husband if he was interested in participating as well.  He then shared how familiar he was with heart disease and showed his scar from his heart surgery.  He said that he came to the mall specifically to take his wife to the Road Show exhibit to make sure that she got screened and knew her risk factors for heart disease early to avoid going through what he experienced. (Charlotte, NC)

• As an African American woman filled out her screening form, she convinced another hesitant bystander to get tested as well; she explained to the woman that because they were African Americans they were at higher risk for heart disease. The woman said that the free screening (and complimentary gift bag!) was the “best deal in town!” The woman subsequently signed up for the tests. (Atlanta, GA)

• Home of Heart Truth Road Show co-presenter Diet Coke, Atlanta, GA, was the last stop on the six-city tour. The majority of the 700 individuals screened there were from communities of color, predominantly African Americans.  In addition to presenting the 2009 Road Show, Diet Coke also displayed several designer Red Dresses at the World of Coke museum through March 2009. (Atlanta, GA)