The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has announced grants totaling $9.3 million to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association to expand and enhance rural health and stroke care in Iowa.

A $6.3 million grant will support the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s $7.5 million Mission: Lifeline Stroke initiative to strengthen the full spectrum of stroke care in Iowa, where stroke is a leading cause of death, accounting for more than 1,400 deaths in 2020. The stroke program builds on a $4.6 million grant awarded in 2015 to support the launch of Mission: Lifeline STEMI in Iowa to reduce treatment times for acute cardiac care in the cases of ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).

The Helmsley Trust is also awarding $3 million to the American Heart Association (AHA) to launch HeartCorps in rural communities in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming. HeartCorps is a new three-year initiative aimed at establishing a sustainable pipeline of public health workers, reduce cardiovascular risks among rural residents, and accelerate the adoption and implementation of systems changes to improve cardiovascular health.

“We believe that a comprehensive approach is the best way to make the most substantial impact, especially for rural populations that face longer transit times and limited access to specialists,” said Helmsley Trust board member Walter Panzirer.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Chalabala)