The American Heart Association and Comcast Team Up to Strike Out Stroke

The American Heart Association and Comcast Team Up to Strike Out Stroke

Comcast Customers in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia Provided Access to Educational Programming to Promote Stroke Awareness and Prevention during Stroke Awareness Month

WASHINGTON, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Heart Association and Comcast have partnered to raise awareness and understanding of the risk factors and signs of stroke by making stroke awareness-related programming available through Comcast's ON DEMAND service. Throughout the month of May, in recognition of Stroke Awareness Month, Comcast Digital Cable customers throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia, can access this special programming ON DEMAND, any time of the day or night.

Delivered through Comcast's signature ON DEMAND service, The American Heart Association will provide videos on stroke prevention and treatment, featuring some of the region's top stroke experts and community leaders including Dr. Frederick Beavers, Chief of Endovascular Surgery of Washington Hospital Center and Dr. E. Gail Anderson Holness, a Power To End Stroke task force member and stroke survivor.

"Through this exciting partnership with Comcast, the American Heart Association's mission to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke is furthered. We are honored to work together and hope that through creative programming the public can become better educated on heart disease and stroke," commented Gabrielle Urquhart, executive director of the American Heart Association, Greater Washington Region.

"Comcast is proud to join the American Heart Association in its effort to promote the importance of heart health awareness," said Noah Kodeck, Director of Local ON DEMAND Programming and Production for Comcast's Eastern Division. "Comcast believes strongly in the power of local ON DEMAND programming and its ability to deliver relevant news and information that has a positive impact on the communities we serve."

To view this special content ON DEMAND, beginning on May 1, Comcast Digital Cable customers can tune to Channel 1 on their Digital Cable lineup or press the ON DEMAND button on their remote control, then click on the "Get Local" section and select the "Strike Out Stroke" folder.

Each year roughly 780,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke, a translation of one stroke every 40 seconds in the United States. Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death in the U.S.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. Quick action, including recognizing the warning signs and calling 911 immediately, is the key to treating stroke. Stroke is largely preventable through education and awareness of personal risk factors such as weight, blood pressure, nutrition and family history. Because of this, Comcast and the American Heart Association have created this innovative ON DEMAND programming to help the community better understand their risks.

In addition to providing ON DEMAND programming, Comcast will issue public service announcements in May advocating stroke awareness and education. Comcast has also committed to partnering with the American Heart Association to increase the visibility of its local initiatives throughout the year, including the Heart Gala, Celebrity Golf Tournament, Heart's Delight, Lawyers Have Heart 10K and the Start! Heart Walk. These events raise money to fund critical life-saving research.

With more than 10,000 titles per month -- the vast majority of which are free -- Comcast's ON DEMAND service offers a library of information and programming to choose from, available 24/7, with the ability to pause, fast forward and rewind selections. Comcast's "Get Local" ON DEMAND content is tailored to specific market areas and niche interests including health and wellness, politics, high school sports, and more. All "Get Local" content is free to Digital Cable subscribers.

About American Heart 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 2006-07 the association invested more than $554 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 americanheart.org.

About Comcast

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Cable is a division of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)(NASDAQ:CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com/), the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services. With 24.7 million cable customers, 14.1 million high-speed Internet customers and 5.2 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's Eastern Division serves almost 5.4 million customers along the New York to DC corridor, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia and North Carolina. The Eastern Division also founded and manages CN8, The Comcast Network, one of the nation's largest and most honored regional 24-hour diversified television networks, seen by more than nine million homes on the East Coast. The Eastern Division employs approximately 18,000 people and is based in Oaks, Pennsylvania.

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Source: Comcast Corporation

CONTACT: Roxana Hoveyda of American Heart Association, +1-703-248-1712,
Roxana.hoveyda@heart.org, or Jaye Linnen of Comcast, +1-301-625-3512,
Jaye_Linnen@cable.comcast.com

Web site:

http://www.comcast.com/
http://www.americanheart.org/

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