THE FUSTER HEART MOVEMENT: A Three Level Model for Primordial Cardiovascular Prevention
The Fuster Heart Movement transforms cardiovascular prevention into a living, close, and collective cause, turning heart care into a movement that unites generations, strengthens communities, and protects the future.
This program is a comprehensive, multi year initiative designed to prevent cardiovascular disease at its earliest origins by combining clinician training, child focused digital education, and community based implementation. Operating across three synergistic levels, the model equips cardiovascular professionals with advanced knowledge in primordial prevention, delivers engaging health education to children and families, and embeds sustainable prevention strategies within local communities.
Level 1: Fuster Fellows—Fuster Prevention Forum
At the foundation of the initiative is a 1.5‑day immersive training course, held annually in June 12-13, 2026, 2027, and 2028 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Heart House. The course trains selected cardiologists and cardiovascular care team members—designated as ACC Fuster Fellows in Primordial Prevention—in cutting‑edge concepts of cardiovascular pathophysiology, early‑life prevention, and implementation science. The curriculum emphasizes developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, epigenetics, and psychosocial determinants of health, drawing heavily on Dr. Valentin Fuster’s research and the SI! Program’s evidence base. ACC leads application, selection, curriculum development, logistics, and branding, in close collaboration with the Mount Sinai team, while Mount Sinai provides licensed educational materials and digital follow‑up tools. Participation grows from up to 50 fellows in 2026 to up to 100 fellows in each subsequent year, supported by ACC‑funded travel, lodging, multidisciplinary faculty instruction, and integration into ACC’s Annual Scientific Sessions community health events.
Level 2: “Fuster and Friends” Digital Child Intervention.
The second level translates scientific and behavioral principles into a bilingual (English/Spanish), developmentally tailored digital platform for children ages 4–6 and 11–14. Anchored by a child‑friendly avatar of Dr. Fuster, Fuster and Friends delivers short, engaging multimedia content through 12‑ to 16‑week modules focusing on nutrition, physical activity, positive body image, mental health, mindfulness, and emotional regulation. Gamified tasks and durable companion materials (such as books, toys, and stickers) reinforce learning in both home and educational settings. Mount Sinai develops and hosts the digital platform and all materials, while ACC provides consultation, review, and approval. Upon completion of training, all Fuster Fellows receive full access to the platform and toolkits for use in their communities.
Level 3: Community‑Based Dissemination and Capacity Building.
In the final level, Fuster Fellows serve as local champions, implementing Fuster and Friends within schools, healthcare systems, and community organizations such as YMCAs, Faith based organizations, after school programs and Boys and Girls Clubs. Fellows engage parents, adapt programming to local cultural contexts, and collect anonymized feedback to support continuous improvement. This phase leverages ACC’s established community engagement and quality‑improvement framework, prioritizing rapid deployment without formal research constraints. ACC tracks training reach, geographic dissemination, and participant feedback, while Mount Sinai maintains digital infrastructure and monitors platform engagement. Expansion is phased strategically, guided by ACC’s geospatial analytics to target high‑risk communities with existing health‑equity infrastructure.
Together, these three integrated levels create a scalable, sustainable ecosystem for early cardiovascular disease prevention—bridging science, education, and community action to shift the trajectory of heart health across generations.
