On September 29, countries worldwide will bring attention to heart disease. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide with up to 17 million people affected. Across Virginia, over 16,000 people died from heart disease in 2023.
The City of Roanoke is Taking on Heart Disease
The City of Roanoke is aware of how heart disease impacts communities. It’s working to decrease the number of people affected, through partnerships between community members and local organizations.
On July 30, 2025, Roanoke City Mayor Joe Cobb celebrated a proclamation that commits the city to improving heart health.
This commitment includes working with the Roanoke Healthy Hearts Learning Collaborative, and supports the work that the Learning Collaborative is doing in collaboration with other community partners, including:
- Carilion Clinic
- Goodwill’s Melrose Plaza
- Hill Street Baptist Church
- One Valley
- Roanoke City Health Department (RCHD)
- Other community-based organizations
Working to Make Change
The Learning Collaborative works to make meaningful, sustainable changes in the community. They do this by providing tools and support to make heart-healthy choices.
For example, the Learning Collaborative received funding to pay for bus transportation for residents in Northwest Roanoke to the Market on Melrose. This is one of the first Goodwill-operated grocery stores in the country. It provides critical access to nutritious, high-quality and affordable food.
The new collaboration will continue to address heart-healthy activities that involve:
- Advocacy
- Blood pressure education and self-monitoring
- Access to nutritious food
- Exercise
- Addressing high-stress factors, such as
- Transportation
- Financial insecurity