July 4, 2001, marked the twenty-fourth Jim W. Hill and Mattie Partee Hill
family reunion. This event is held every two years, with Arkansas being the host
locale every other reunion. Bloomington, MN, was chosen to host the 2001 event.
How did the descendants of former slaves from Coldwater, Mississippi, arrive in
Minneapolis and what does heart health have to do with it?
In 1970, the Carter family relocated to the Twin Cities area, seeking career
opportunities and a safe and healthy environment to raise a family. Emory Carter
– a great, great grandson of the Hills, was chosen at the 1999 family reunion to
host the 2001 event. An employee of Seagate Technology in Bloomington, he was
first introduced to the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation by attending a
HeartMatters corporate speakers bureau presentation on controlling one’s
cholesterol, which was held at his work site. This program familiarized him with
the different risk factors associated with heart disease. Additionally, he
learned of the much higher risk African-American men and women experience for
developing cardiovascular diseases as compared to other races. He also learned
that African Americans have more severe high blood pressure than whites, a
condition Emory’s grandfather experienced. His father developed diabetes, which
is almost twice as prevalent among African-Americans than Caucasians.
Achieving heart health
is a goal for these and future generations. Hearing these facts and other startling statistics, it was then that Emory
knew these important messages must be incorporated into the planned activities
of his family’s reunion. “There is a strong history of heart disease in my
family so I wanted something meaningful to come from this reunion – something
people could take back home with them,” states Emory, “and this is information
that needs to be shared. You can always have just a July 4th barbecue.” Based on
this family history, Emory became concerned when he also learned that children
of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves. The
message was clear – just as one cannot control one’s age, sex and race, neither
can one control one’s family history. These factors make it even more important
to treat and control other modifiable risk factors such as smoking, diet and
cholesterol, blood pressure, physical activity, stress and others.
The Foundation provided two presentations on heart health to his family at
the reunion: What’s Your Risk Picture?, an overview of the modifiable and
non-modifiable risk factors associated with heart disease, and The Low-Down on
Cholesterol, which addresses the influence of cholesterol on heart disease
development and specific recommendations for improving and controlling
cholesterol levels. These talks represent two of over twenty formal
presentations available through the Foundation for delivery to groups throughout
the state and region.
Emory has personally taken these messages to heart. He has increased his
physical fitness level at his gym, joined an employee bicycling club and even
has his sites on entering a triathlon. He hopes his efforts will serve to
encourage others in his family, both adults and children, to take similar steps
to improve their health and reduce their risk for disease.
So along with the photos of the Twin Cities, fellowship of family, sharing
old stories and creating new memories, a message of heart health was taken home
with them as well – a message Emory hopes will be carried forward improving the
heart health of current and future generations.
For more information on the programs and services offered through the
Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, to include those programs focused on
improving awareness among at-risk populations, call our Education Services
Division at (612) 863-1657.
Family reunion
organizer, Emory Carter (left), with his immediate family. 
