Last September, RAFAM Argentina celebrated World Heart Day and World Heart Week by organizing several events with activities geared towards the older population – a population that is especially vulnerable to cardiovascular disease. The campaign, which highlighted the importance of the role of physical activity for heart health, received support from the World Heart Federation through the World Heart Grants Programme.
The events of World Heart Day kicked off with a virtual meeting with more than 50 RAFAM members from all over Latin America, in which they created the #MELATE global campaign. The hashtag reached thousands of people all over the world through social media.
Furthermore, a workshop was implemented for Heart Training in Older People and was led by Dr. Alejandra Zarate, a specialist in sports medicine. The workshop targeted cardiovascular health on a multidisciplinary spectrum by analyzing nutritional, psychological, physical, and social factors.
A complementary virtual walk to raise awareness about the message that RAFAM was promoting was organized through social networks. The people who participated in this event used pedometers to record the number of steps they took during the walk to prove that they were being active for a healthy heart and for a healthy life. The people showed their participation in World Heart Day by uploading pictures to social media with the hashtag #MELATE promoting the campaign’s message.
