Iowa Partnership will Highlight Chronic Disease during Presidential Campaign

(Des Moines, IA)– A broad group of state and local leaders representing health, business, labor and faith will hold a press conference in downtown Des Moines to announce a renewed effort by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease to urge presidential candidates to address chronic disease like diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.

Chronic diseases are the number one cost driver in health care accounting for more than 86 percent of the $2.9 trillion spent in health care, and are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States.

The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and its partners will be working to promote greater chronic disease awareness during the 2016 presidential campaign, and specifically will be educating the candidates about the devastating impact of chronic diseases.

WHAT:            Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease

WHEN: Thursday, October 8, 2015, 11:00AM

WHERE: Wellmark YMCA

501 Grand Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50309

 

WHO:              Candace DeMatteis, policy director, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease

Vernon Delpesce, president & CEO, YMCA of Greater Des Moines

Jim Henter, president, Iowa Retail Federation

Sherri Nielsen, president & CEO, Easter Seals Iowa

Rev. Sarai Schnucker Rice, executive director, Des Moines Area Religious Council       

About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease

The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is an international coalition of hundreds of patient, provider, community, business and labor groups, and health policy experts, committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability and rising health care costs: chronic disease. Learn more by visiting www.FightChronicDisease.org