High Blood Pressure (HBP) Sunday—May 6, 2007

Two decades ago, the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Coordinating Committee and the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB) declared the first Sunday of May "High Blood Pressure Sunday." While HBP Sunday is promoted as a special event, it is often used as a "kickoff" for other activities throughout the month or year.

Join the effort and promote HBP Sunday in your community! Choose activities that can be done quickly and show early success. The following are examples of activities used with religious congregations:

• Provide information about high blood pressure for the Clergy to include in his/her main message to the congregation.
• Arrange for a health professional to speak to the congregation about high blood pressure.
• Include a HBP factoid or a recipe in the main program with the option to continue each Sunday in May and longer.
• Publish one or more of the "drop-in articles" from the Planning Kit in the main bulletin
• Conduct a HBP screening event for congregation or subgroup.