The CDC Foundation has added muscle to its “Live to the Beat” campaign, enlisting former NFL star Jerome “The Bus” Bettis to drive home its message about heart disease in the Black community.
Building on a campaign that began in 2022, Bettis will use the fame he accrued as Super Bowl-winning running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers to raise awareness of the dangers of high blood pressure and the steps people can take to cut their risk. Bettis is telling the story of his father, who died of a heart attack at age 61, as part of a broader push to use narratives to change behavior.
Kinetra Joseph, senior advisor for social marketing and behavior change programs at the CDC Foundation, said in a statement that “people often remember stories more than facts alone.” That knowledge led the CDC’s nonprofit wing to put individuals’ stories at the center of its latest outreach push.
“These stories connect with people on a deeper level, helping to humanize the impact of these conditions,” Joseph said. “We believe when people hear from others who have faced similar challenges, it empowers them to take action, seek help and prioritize their heart health.”
Bettis tells his story in one of five short videos on the “Legacy of Heart Health” webpage, explaining how his father died months after he won the championship in his hometown. The ex-NFL star is now 52 years old and said he is increasingly assessing how he can cut the risk of having a heart attack himself. Bettis lists being more active, managing stress and changing eating habits among the ways he’s reducing his risks.
The other videos cover similar topics, with one man describing seeing his 38-year-old father have a heart attack and a woman discussing the three heart attacks she had in three days at the age of 40. All the videos outline how the individuals’ experiences have shaped their thinking about heart health and their lifestyles.
Publishing the videos extends a campaign that began in 2022 with DJ Jazzy Jeff’s virtual dance party. In 2023, the CDC Foundation tapped rapper Killer Mike for a hip-hop-themed wellness event before shifting its focus the following year to help Black women prioritize self-care for their own heart health.