Mary Mitchell

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Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council welcomes all K-12 girls in central and northern Arizona who are interested in experiencing Girl Scouting with a troop or independently.

For more information or to join, visit www.girlscoutsaz.org/en/get-involved/join.html

February brings us the gift and recognition of honoring the Black/African American community and its incredible role in America’s history as bridge-builders, innovators and changemakers.

February also brings us the gift of American Heart Month, reminding us that heart health is an important, life-saving topic on which to be educated. The American Heart Association reminds us that 23,000 children experience cardiac arrest each year, an astonishing figure. However, there is hope and opportunity to educate our young people on the topic of health, wellness and heart health.

AHA notes that learning CPR is one of the ways we can prepare to “become a part of the Nation of Lifesavers.” In this way, we can also learn how to take care of and be responsive to our loved ones and our community in critical health moments.

Black History Month also brings to the forefront health disparities and the ongoing opportunity for education. It is important to note that some populations experience heart health issues at greater rates than others. This is true for the Black/African American population.

Health issues such as incidents of stroke and high blood pressure are real. Understanding how we can work together to educate all communities on raising awareness of maintaining good heart health, being educated on life-saving measures such as CPR, advocating for our individual access to health care, as well as for our loved ones, are all important. With this awareness, we can all thrive and live longer, healthier lives.

I have my own personal experience regarding heart health. My mother, who had a stroke at the very young age of 15, was one of the 23,000 children that the AHA references in its recent article.

High blood pressure has been a prevailing condition in my family structure, affecting our heart health outcomes across generations. I learned that I had extremely high blood pressure in my early 30s when I attended a community health fair with my young daughter. It is possible that I may not have known until it was much too late had I not stopped at the health station on that morning. I shudder to think of the potential health outcome had I not done so. 

Due to this medical history, my siblings and I have come to understand the need to be educated on the steps we can take to mitigate these health concerns for ourselves and for the generations to come. Beyond awareness and knowledge, this includes ongoing blood pressure checks, becoming more physically active, eating healthy foods, getting annual check-ups and understanding the warning signs that our bodies might be sending.

This year, I’m proud to announce that Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council has partnered with the American Heart Association and the African American Women’s Giving and Empowerment Circle to educate and bring greater awareness to our girls and their families on this topic at our annual Mahogany in Motion.

As leaders in the community, it is extremely important that we take the lead in equipping our girls with the skills, tools and experiences that will continue to elevate their ability to take care of themselves, their loved ones and their community. This program is a great forum to advance that knowledge and for girls to meet Black/African American women who are leaders and top minds in the cardiovascular medical field and/or who have had personal experiences related to these medical concerns.

Girl Scouts continues to be a preeminent space of learning for all girls, including the areas of ongoing health and wellness. Girls can earn badges on Staying Fit, Eating for You, Cross-Training, First Aid and so much more.

At this year’s Mahogany in Motion on Feb. 15, participants had an opportunity to learn CPR, a critical life-saving measure and engage in other activities that support their heart health while walking away with new skills that will keep them on the journey to good health.

To learn more about heart health, visit www.heart.org and to read specific data and for information related to Black/African American women and girls, see the Health and Well-Being of Black Girls and Women in Arizona Report by the State of Black Arizona.

Wishing us all continued learning and good heart health!

Editor’s note: Mary Mitchell is co-CEO of Phoenix-based Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, which serves over 12,000 girls in grades K-12 in more than 90 communities in central and northern Arizona. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.