American Heart Association
The American Heart Association grew out of a set of smaller precursor groups. The primary precursor was the Association for the Prevention and Relief of Heart Disease, formed in New York City in 1915, to study whether patients with heart disease could safely return to work. Several similar organizations formed or evolved in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago in the 1920s. Recognizing the need for a national organization to share research and promote findings, the American Heart Association was formed in 1924 by six cardiologists representing several of these precursor groups.
Alice K. Jacobs
Alice K. Jacobs is an author and professor at the Boston University School of Medicine who specializes in Interventional Cardiology, coronary revascularization, and the Sex-based differences in cardiovascular disease. Alice was President of the American Heart Association between 2004 and 2005. She has also served as chair of the American College of Cardiology/
American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. On April 20, 2009, she was awarded the Gold Heart Award by the American Heart Association for her contributions to health.