February 22 marked the first-ever National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day! To celebrate the day, an educational lunch briefing and a Twitter chat were held.
The briefing, which took place on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., offered attendees the opportunity to learn about: the latest in heart valve disease research from Dr. Gary H. Gibbons, director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, leading treatments from Dr. Joseph E. Bavaria, former president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and inspiring stories from AHA Heart Valve Ambassadors Dennis and Ann Dobkowski.
Sue Peschin, president and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research, also shared awareness day calls-to-action for individuals, policymakers, and district offices.
If you were unable to attend the event, you can watch a recording of the event below and find coverage of our National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day Twitter chat on Storify.