DUBLIN, OH. April 11, 2024. – The Genetic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Consortium (GCAC), launched by the DCM Foundation, has embarked on an aggressive campaign to increase awareness of cardiomyopathy and encourage more people to get genetically tested. During a recent webinar, GCAC representatives introduced the new “Advocacy Army” initiative to help spread the word and save lives. In addition, GCAC launched a Spanish version of its website to provide access to information and resources for the Spanish-speaking community.
Advocacy Army
The Advocacy Army (https://geneticcardiomyopathy.org/join-the-fight/) initiative is designed to provide materials, videos, social posts and other important information for those interested in helping to share on their social channels and with friends, relatives, and physicians. Members of the Advocacy Army are provided a link to access engaging videos, informational PDFs about cardiomyopathy, a series of sample social posts, graphics, and photography.
Nearly 50% of all cardiomyopathy cases in the United States are inherited, but only 1% of cardiomyopathy patients get genetically tested. Knowing there may be a genetic heart condition that runs in your family can help save lives. Early genetic testing can create better opportunities to diagnose and manage cardiomyopathy.
It is estimated that as many as 1 in 200 adults in the US has some form of cardiomyopathy. It occurs most often in adults ages 20 to 60 but has been diagnosed in people of all ages, including children. Most people with cardiomyopathy eventually develop heart failure and there is no known cure for this disease.
Launch of Spanish GCAC Website
In addition to launching the Advocacy Army initiative, GCAC recently launched a Spanish version of its website (https://geneticcardiomyopathy.org/es) to carry out its important message to the Spanish-speaking community in the U.S. and to increase health equity for all cardiomyopathy patients.
“We’re incredibly thankful for the generous donation that allowed us to launch this Spanish GCAC website,” said Greg Ruf, Executive Director. “Now, Spanish-speaking cardiomyopathy patients and their family members can learn about the important link between genetics which can help inform and improve their care.”
GCAC anima a los pacientes y familias de habla hispana con cardiomiopatía a visitar su nueva página web en www.geneticcardiomyopathy.org/es. El sitio web es fácil de navegar y ofrece una gran cantidad de recursos, todos traducidos al español de forma clara y precisa. Visite la página web hoy mismo para obtener más información.
About The Genetic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Consortium
The Genetic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Campaign (GCAC) was launched in the U.S. in early 2023 by eight U.S.-based cardiomyopathy patient groups to raise awareness about the need for genetic testing for cardiomyopathy patients and family members. The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness and to get more cardiomyopathy patients and family members genetically tested, which will help save lives and advance genetic research and therapies.
Visit our websites to learn more:
www.geneticcardiomyopathy.org
www.geneticcardiomyopathy.org/es
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