Emerald Foundation

February is the month, we as Americans, need to pause and acknowledge as national heart month. The statistics in heart related illness and death are alarming in our country. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. as well as the entire world. Every 36 seconds someone dies from a cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are the biggest causes of heart disease. Diabetes, obesity..., poor diet, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumptions can increase your risk for getting heart disease. To reduce your risk for heart disease you should implement the following: - Get your blood pressure checked regularly - Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control through healthy lifestyle choices and/or medication - Maintain a healthy weight - Eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains - Exercise regularly - Limit your alcohol intake - Don’t smoke - Manage stress levels through music, exercise, calming techniques/meditation - Maintain good sleep habits with 7-9 hours a night - Manage diabetes. For more info on heart health visit the following sites: CDC - http://www.cdc.gov American Heart Association - http://www.heart.org National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute - https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov CDC Global American Heart Association National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) #eisforemerald #emeraldfoundation #communityalliance #engage #empower #enrich #everyone #engageempowerenricheveryone #lancastercountypa #lancasterpa #hearthealth #nationalheartmonth #americanheartmonth #FebruaryIsHeartMonth

Lancaster EMS receives another delivery of surgical masks through Operation Emerald. Thank you to all those who work at Lancaster EMS for their brave service. Lancaster EMS #eisforemerald #emeraldfoundation #emeraldfoundationoperationemerald #operationemerald #communityalliance #engage #empower #enrich #everyone #engageempowerenricheveryone #lancastercountypa #lancasterpa #ppedonation #protectthosewhoprotectus #ppedistribution #helpthosewhohelpus

Congratulations to Roy S. Small for being the Emerald Co-Hometown Hero for the month of February! Roy S Small joined Cardiovascular Associates of Lancaster (now, The Heart Group of Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine) in 1990 following 11 years of active duty service in the US Navy. Dr. Small was born in New York City and raised in the suburbs of Long Island. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and medical degree from St. Louis Universi...ty. He did his internship and internal medicine residency at the National Naval Medical Center (now the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center) followed by a fellowship in Cardiology at the National Naval Medical Center. He completed his training following an Interventional Cardiology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Prior to relocating to Lancaster, he was the director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at the National Naval Medical Center. Dr. Small was instrumental in developing the Heart Failure program for The Heart Group and was the president of the group for 8 years. He currently works in the office seeing outpatients and is the medical director of the Research Institute of Lancaster General/Penn Medicine. Dr. Small’s wife, Terri is a CASA volunteer. They have three adult children (Alison, Jared and Spencer) and three adorable grandchildren. Dr. Small would like to recognize the dedication and bravery of the first responders who provided essential services to Lancaster County residents during the COVID pandemic when proper PPE was not readily available. Along with civic minded business leaders, Drs. Small and Macedonia worked to acquire and distribute desperately needed critical supplies. Lancaster Barnstormers Penn Medicine Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health #eisforemerald #emeraldfoundation #emeraldfoundationinitiative #communityalliance #engage #empower #enrich #everyone #engageempowerenricheveryone #lancastercountypa #lancasterpa #hometownhero

Congratulations to Christian Macedonia, M.D. for being the Emerald Co-Hometown Hero for the month of February! Christian Macedonia M.D. is a physician and surgeon currently serving families of Lancaster who struggle to bring healthy children into the world. Dr. Macedonia grew up in Carlisle and graduated from Bucknell University before joining the US Army in 1985. His 27 years of military service included combat and non-combat roles as a soldier, surgeon, educator, scientist,... and senior executive. On 9/11 he was a first-responder to the attack on Washington DC as part of the medical unit attached to the US Park Service SWAT Team. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was awarded the Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge (Battle of Fallujah). In his final assignments, he commanded the Gray Team, an organization commissioned by the Chairman of the JCS, dedicated to improving care of our wounded, particularly those suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and comforting the families of those who completed suicide. In that role, he worked with America’s elite medical institutions as well as leaders of similar efforts in the civilian world. This included close collaboration with the NYPD and FDNY, through POPPA (Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance). Colonel Macedonia retired from uniform in 2012 and moved to Lancaster in 2014, eventually co-founding Lancaster Maternal Fetal Medicine. With the outbreak of COVID19 and the initial lack of locally available PPE, he helped bring together a group of concerned citizens dedicated to ensuring our front-line heroes and first responders received the protection they needed. From this collaboration, Operation Emerald was formed. Lancaster Barnstormers #eisforemerald #emeraldfoundation #emeraldfoundationinitiative #communityalliance #engage #empower #enrich #everyone #engageempowerenricheveryone #lancastercountypa #lancasterpa #hometownhero #operationemerald

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN & GIRLS IN SCIENCE Today is a day to recognize the critical role that girls and women play in science and technology. The United Nations, in collaboration with UN Women, have implemented this day to ensure an equal opportunity to careers in science and technology exists for all women and girls worldwide. Among many initiatives promoting equality for all at the Emerald Foundation, the Esports Initiative is striving to bring awareness to the many gi...rls and women who are participating in esports programs, clubs and related careers. Emerald Esports is infusing learning into esports to help cultivate stronger skill sets in communication, collaboration and critical thinking. Students gain exposure to STEM, career exploration and workforce development. Girls are showing up, holding their own in gameplay, changing the stereotype and changing their future. @emerald.fdn.esports @unitednations @unwomen #internationaldayofwomenandgirlsinscience #eisforemerald #emeraldfoundationevents #emeraldfoundationesports #esportsinitiative #esports #teamsports #videogamecompetition #communication #collaboration #problemsolving #communityalliance #highschoolteamsports #engage #empower #enrich #everyone #engageempowerenricheveryone #girlgamers #girlsinscience #girlsinscienceandtechnology #womengamers #womeninscience #womeninscienceandtechnology