The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is revolutionising the way it helps people from African Caribbean communities by launching its first gospel choir. This is just the latest measure taken by the BHF, in their bid to reduce the risk of developing heart disease or even stroke.
It is no hidden secret that those from an African Caribbean decent are twice as likely to be susceptible to suffer from a stroke as those from a European origin. However, it is the most recent figures from the BHF that are most concerning, causing them to reevaluate their approach to spreading the message. The latest figures show that one in four African Caribbean adults in the UK, do not realise that their ethnicity makes them more vulnerable to high blood pressure and diabetes. This has huge knock on consequences; resulting in major risks such as a stroke and coronary heart disease.
The choir, which had their inaugural performance at the Jamaican Commission on May 29th, will use its performances to help communities understand that simple lifestyle changes can make a huge difference. The message is clear and straightforward, as they show that even by doing small things like being more active and having a better diet you can seriously reduce your risk.
The 20 members are all aged between 13 and 70 and were motivated to join the choir because of their own experiences of heart disease and stroke.
Sharmen Robinson (44), a British Heart Foundation Gospel Choir member, said: “I was diagnosed with a serious heart defect two years ago, shortly after the birth of my second daughter. I had to undergo open heart surgery. It was a tough time for me and my family but it made me stronger and determined to help people better understand heart problems. I love singing and have always sung in a choir. So when I was presented with the opportunity to join the BHF Gospel Choir, I jumped at the chance. It was the perfect way to combine both my passions.”
It is this kind of positive and inspirational story the choir hopes to spread and replicate, as it looks to tackle the issue of heart disease and strokes head on. This has been set up in partnership with RAFFA – a charity with expertise in working with African Caribbean communities to tackle health issues.
