Thursday, September 18, 2025
Buffalo, N.Y. (September 18, 2025) — As part of the Buffalo Bills HeartBEAT initiative, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Buffalo Bills proudly recognized Dr. Leslie Bisson and UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine as this week’s Highmark Community Hero.
Driven by the "Damar Effect," Dr. Bisson and his team at UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine have launched a remarkable outreach initiative to provide CPR training to underserved communities in Buffalo. Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color face disproportionately lower cardiac arrest survival rates due to socioeconomic factors impacting bystander intervention, this program directly addresses this critical disparity. To date, Dr. Bisson's team has equipped over 6,000 individuals in Western New York with life-saving CPR skills.
As part of the recognition, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield presented UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine with a $2,500 donation to directly support this critical work.
Now in its fifth year, the Highmark Community Hero program champions local heroes who are making a tangible difference in Western New York. To date, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has invested a total of $80,000 through the program and donated more than 640 tickets to local not-for-profit organizations and volunteers.
About Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York is a trade name of Highmark Western and Northeastern New York Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Since 1936, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York has helped millions of people lead healthier lives. Blue Cross Blue Shield offers a full range of insured, self-insured, and government programs and services covering businesses, families, and individuals, as well as dental and vision plans and stop-loss coverage. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield employs more than 1,500 people and serves as a key economic driver in the region. As a community-based, not-for-profit health plan, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield contributes significantly to organizations that strengthen and enrich the health of the community. For up-to-date news, facts, and information about the company, leadership, and industry, please visit bcbswny.com or follow us on Twitter.
For more information, contact
Amber Hartmann
716-208-9534
Amber.Hartmann@highmarkhealth.com
