(Oklahoma City) –In an effort to increase awareness and educate the African American community about their risk for stroke, Grammy award-winning Gospel artist Kirk Franklin has teamed up with The American Heart Association’s Power to End Stroke Movement to bring the “Fight of Our Life Health Concert Tour” to Oklahoma City at 6:00 pm on November 22 at the Fairview Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1700 NE 7th Street. The concert is free and will feature performances from special guest Ken Carter, an octogenarian, one-handed stroke survivor and saxophonist; local Gospel artist Sean Johnson and Wings of Harmony - renowned performing arts ensemble comprised of students from Oklahoma City schools who travel throughout the state sharing their skills of spoken word, drama, vocal and instrumental inspiration.
The theme of the concert health tour is taken from Franklin’s 2007 album “The Fight of My Life” and uses the hit single “Declaration” as the underlying message of the campaign. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability among African Americans in Oklahoma, claiming nearly 800 lives each year. They have almost twice the risk of first-ever strokes as compared to Whites, and African Americans ages 35-54 years-old have four times the relative risk of stroke.
“Stroke is a serious health issue that is claiming the lives of our loved ones and we’re bringing increased awareness to help stop this devastation in our communities,” says Kirk Franklin. “I have teamed up with the American Heart Association’s Power to End Stroke Movement to bring the Fight of Our Life Health Tour with the hopes of empowering people and educating them about how to take control of their health,” he continued, adding that, “It’s time to stand up and do something about the thousands of people who are dying every year from stroke.”
Concert-goers will hear an empowering message through the music and Franklin will personally ask them to take the “pledge” where they will make a declaration to take control of their health, reduce their risk for stroke and learn the warning signs of stroke. While there, attendees will have the opportunity to receive heart-health recipes from the association’s Soul Food Healthy Cookbook, as well as other valuable health information intended to help persons modify their lifestyles toward healthier living.
As many social movements within the community have been rooted in the church, Franklin’s partnership with the Power to End Stroke Movement will help people to strive toward having a healthy mind, body and soul. Partnering with Kirk Franklin will help bolster awareness. He is a talented person who has an amazing way of connecting with people and he embodies the lifestyle of healthy eating and fitness.
For more information on the Oklahoma City concert, call Nancy Grayson, Senior Director of Cultural Health Initiatives at (918) 712-4013.
About Kirk Franklin:
Kirk Franklin is the biggest selling Contemporary Gospel artist in the history of SoundScan, with over 14 million albums sold to date and over 20 #1 singles at Gospel radio. Franklin changed musical history in 1993 with the release of his debut album, KIRK FRANKLIN AND THE FAMILY, the first Gospel album to sell more than one million units. Franklin’s latest CD, THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE, was awarded two 2009 GRAMMY® Awards for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album and Best Gospel Song for “Help Me Believe.” It follows his previous, RIAA-certified platinum CD, HERO, which remained in the Top 10 on the Billboard charts for close to two years after its release. To date, the musical trendsetter has garnered 7 GRAMMY Awards; an American Music Award; 35 Stellar Awards (gospel); 12 Dove Awards (CCM); 4 NAACP Awards; 2 BET Music Awards, a Soul Train Award and numerous others. In March 2009, Franklin resumed hosting the second season of the BET original series, SUNDAY BEST, a nationwide search for the next best gospel artist.
About the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association:
Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases claim nearly 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2007-08 the association invested more than $724 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit
www.americanheart.org
or
www.strokeassociation.org
.
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