NATIONAL BLOOD CLOT ALLIANCE ADDRESSES HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH FIRST-EVER B.L.A.C.K. CHURCH BUS TOUR

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA), the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to blood clot prevention, awareness, and education, proudly announces the launch of its first-ever B.L.A.C.K. Church Bus Tour—Black Lives Advocating for Clot Knowledge. This groundbreaking initiative will take place during Blood Clot Awareness Month in March 2025, visiting Black churches in six key cities across the Southern United States, home to over 55% of the Black population: Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Charlotte, NC; Houston, TX; Memphis, TN; and New Orleans, LA. The tour aims to address critical health disparities by partnering with trusted local churches to deliver lifesaving blood clot education and awareness directly to Black communities.

About the Tour

Every six minutes, someone in the United States dies from a blood clot. Blood clots claim an estimated 100,000 lives annually and affect an additional 900,000 people, many of whom face long-term health complications. Black Americans have up to a 30% to 60% higher incidence and mortality due to blood clots and this remains a leading cause of Black maternal mortality in the U.S.

To combat this public health crisis, NBCA's tour will host education and awareness events at Black churches across the South, providing vital information on the risks, symptoms, and prevention of blood clots. Attendees will gain access to valuable resources, free screenings, expert speakers, and practical tools to protect themselves and their families from blood clots.

Why This Matters

"It is well known that Black Americans face significantly higher rates of blood clot incidence and mortality, yet information about blood clots is not reaching our communities," said Arshell Brooks Harris, NBCA board member and mother of Leschel Brooks, who tragically lost her life to a blood clot. "Nobody should be dying from blood clots, given how preventable they are. We are taking awareness directly to the people and providing the information they need to protect themselves and their loved ones. NBCA is proud to partner with so many Black Churches across the South, trusted sources of health information in their communities, to raise awareness about blood clots."

Shirley Bondon, Executive Director of the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis, echoed these sentiments: "We look forward to partnering with the National Blood Clot Alliance and raising awareness about blood clots in the Black community in Memphis. This bus tour is a significant step forward in raising awareness, and we encourage other communities to join forces with us to protect Black lives. Knowledge is power, and with information, we can reduce both the incidence and mortality of those impacted by blood clots in the Black community."

The Time is Now

"For too long we have waited for the Federal government to address this public health crisis with the urgency it deserves—similar to efforts made for heart attack and stroke," said NBCA Board Member and blood clot survivor Dr. Kakneka Mason. "We are tired of waiting and watching people needlessly die. NBCA's bus tour is the first step toward bringing blood clot awareness to Black communities. It is unacceptable that such a preventable condition remains a leading cause of mortality among Black Americans, especially Black mothers. We call on members of Congress to allocate funding for a national blood clot education and awareness program. Too many people have unnecessarily died from this silent killer. Every year of inaction costs another 100,000 lives—lives that could have been saved through education and awareness. Congress must act now," Mason added.

Become a Participating Black Church on the Tour

Churches located near one of the B.L.A.C.K. Church Bus Tour city stops are invited to register to host an event. Participating churches will receive comprehensive planning support, educational resources, and guidance from NBCA to ensure their event's success. By joining the tour, churches play a critical role in raising awareness, addressing this urgent public health issue, and saving lives within their communities. Learn more and register here.

Support the Tour

Help expand this life-saving initiative here.  

Learn more about the tour and stay informed with the latest tour updates here.

About the National Blood Clot Alliance

The National Blood Clot Alliance is the nation's leading nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to advancing the prevention, early diagnosis and successful treatment of life-threatening blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Each year NBCA serves more than 3 million people with blood clot-related information, resources, and support. For more information about NBCA visit www.stoptheclot.org.

SOURCE National Blood Clot Alliance