February is American Heart Month and National Cancer Prevention Month. Read on to learn more about both!

American Heart Month

• Between 2017 and 2020, 127.9 million U.S. adults had some form of CVD. Between 2020 and 2021, direct and indirect costs of total CVD were $417.9 billion.
• In 2017 to 2020 in the United States, 59.0% of non-Hispanic Black females and 58.9% of non-Hispanic Black males had some form of CVD. This race category had the highest prevalence of CVD.

• The American Heart Association gauges the cardiovascular health of the nation by tracking eight key health factors and behaviors that increase risks for heart disease and stroke. The eight key factors are: not-smoking, physical activity, healthy diet, healthy body weight, sleep health, and control of cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

National Cancer Prevention Month

• The federal government estimates that 2 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer during 2024, and that more than 600,000 died from their disease.
• Research shows that more than 40% of these cases and nearly half of the deaths can be attributed to preventable causes—smoking, excess body weight, physical inactivity, and excessive exposure to the sun, among others.
• Studies have shown that residents who live in redlined and disadvantaged neighborhoods share a higher burden of cancer. An analysis of US cancer deaths during 2015–2019 in relation to residential segregation found that residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods had a 22 percent higher mortality rate for all cancers combined compared to those living in advantaged neighborhoods.
• Findings of a recent study of women with breast cancer who were active duty, veteran or medical beneficiaries and were treated at a military health care system suggest that disparities in survival outcomes between Black and White patients are virtually eliminated when equitable access to quality health care is provided.

Health Resources

• Illinois Department of Public Health Springfield Headquarters Office 525-535 West Jefferson St.
  Springfield, IL  62761
  217-782-4977
• Illinois Department of Public Health Chicago Headquarters Offices     122 S. Michigan Ave., 7th and 20th Floors
  Chicago, IL  60603
  312-814-2793
                                                                                                                                                             69 W. Washington St., 35th Floor
  Chicago, IL 60602
  312-814-5278
• Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) Medical BenefitsIllinois Department of Human Services
  [Apply on their website | 2701 W Lake St., Melrose Park, IL 60160]
• Loyola School-Based Health Center@ Proviso East High School
  [To schedule an appointment, call (708) 852-3094 or go to Room 86B at Proviso East High School]

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford was sworn in Wednesday for a new term in the Illinois General Assembly, marking the beginning of her 26^th year in the legislature.

She released the following statement after taking the oath of office:

"Looking back on my tenure in the General Assembly, I'm proud of how we've transformed Illinois into a more equitable and inclusive state, particularly for our youngest residents.

We've pioneered groundbreaking reforms in education – from implementing the nation's most equitable school funding model to creating new pathways for Black students' success and increasing diversity in our teaching workforce. Our unwavering commitment has been to ensure every child in Illinois has access to genuine opportunity, and I'll continue fighting for this vision in the years ahead.

It remains my deepest privilege to serve the 4th Senate District. Together, we've laid a strong foundation, but our potential for future achievement knows no bounds."

Lightford will serve another term as Senate Majority Leader – a position she has held since 2021. The Senate Majority Leader is entrusted by the Senate President to work with caucus members on policy issues and help advise them on legislative agendas.

CHICAGO – Following a multi-year implementation period, the state’s minimum wage will reach $15 per hour on Jan. 1, thanks to steadfast advocacy from Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford.

“As a state, we have helped countless workers make ends meet, reduce financial stress, and provide a more solid foundation for their futures,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “The $15 minimum wage is a testament to our commitment to economic justice and our belief that everyone who works full time deserves a living wage.”

Lightford led a law in 2019 to put the state on the path to a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2025. The minimum wage was raised from $8.25 to $10 in 2019. Each year after, on Jan. 1, the minimum wage increased by $1 – putting it at $15 come Jan. 1, 2025. Additionally, the youth minimum wage rate will raise to $13 per hour.

SPRINGFIELD – The rise of co-branded alcoholic beverages – like Hard Mountain Dew and Spiked Sunny-D – has piqued the interest of children. Whether the marketing is intentional or not, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is putting a stop to the issue by restricting the location certain alcohol items can be displayed and sold.

"We are taking steps to underscore our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our youth," said Lightford (D-Maywood). "By limiting the proximity of co-branded alcoholic beverages to items targeting children, we aim to diminish the potential influence of alcohol-related marketing on impressionable minds."

Co-branded alcoholic beverages contain the same or similar brand name, logo or packaging as a non-alcoholic beverage. Senate Bill 2625 will prohibit stores over 2,500 square feet – which primarily is anything bigger than a convenience store – from displaying co-branded alcoholic beverages immediately adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled water, candy, or snack foods portraying cartoons or child-oriented images.