News Release

Tackling Rheumatic Fever in American Samoa

New short film outlines steps to prevent heart disease

A new short film aimed at helping families safeguard their children against Rheumatic Fever premiered at the American Samoa Community College earlier this month.

  Attendees at the Short Film Premiere for Rheumatic Fever Relief in American Samoa.
Attendees at the Short Film Premiere for Rheumatic Fever Relief in American Samoa.
American Samoa Department of Health, BYU (Brigham Young University) Rheumatic Relief and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints partnered together to premiere a new short film that outlines steps parents and children can take to prevent heart disease. © 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

The film was introduced as part of a free heart screening programme for children and youth. The heart screening is made possible by American Samoa Department of Health partnering with BYU (Brigham Young University) Rheumatic Relief and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Emeritus General Authority Seventy, Elder O. Vincent Haleck, and Elder Faapito Auapaau participated in the event. Other guests included Mr Kelly Loosli, Justina Tavana, Dr Marvin Allen and Dr Lori Allen from BYU.

Manager of the Rheumatic Health Disease Control and Prevention Program, Ipuniuesea Eliapo-Unutoa said: “Our goal is to continue to work with these wonderful people, to learn from them and to eventually have the capacity to care for our own children, the future of this community.”

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