P.A.D. Coalition and African Methodist Episcopal Church Form Unique Partnership to Increase Awareness of Peripheral Arterial Disease

PAD is more common in African Americans than any other racial or ethnic group. To inform African Americans about PAD, the Coalition has formed a partnership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC). The AMEC is one of the nation's largest African American congregations with approximately 2,500 churches and 1.2 million members throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and the South. In April 2008, the Coalition met with church leaders at their Annual Ministries in Christian Education Training/Planning Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. At this meeting, the Church officially announced that it would like to adopt PAD as a major health focus for nationwide congregations.

The Coalition will conduct a workshop for AMEC's regional health ministers and bishops at their annual meeting this July in St. Louis, Missouri. Coalition representatives will address the problem of PAD, the Stay in Circulation campaign, and resources available to educate church members about PAD.

Working with the AMEC, the Coalition is producing special resources—including a church bulletin insert and fan—for distribution to church congregations nationwide.

These new resources will debut in time for September's PAD Awareness Month.