I am organizing an exciting, educational event this summer that promises to be a great time for the whole family! 

Here’s the info:

Fall River Children’s Healthy Heart Festival

Featuring the Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Quilt Project, with quilts in memory or support of children with heart defects

Saturday, July 25, 2009

10:00am - 2:00pm

Boys and Girls Club of Fall River

803 Bedford Street

FREE ADMISSION!

Free snacks and drinks

Entertainment, Fun Activities, Arts & Crafts, and Face Painting

Awesome Prize Giveaways for the Entire Family (Wii, iPods, and more!)

Fun and Educational Ways to Learn about Your Health

We are looking for volunteers and $50 sponsors for our program book!!

I was able to provide CPR/AED training and certification today to the American Heart Assocition staff at their Framingham, Massachusetts office.  It was a fun day of 2 great trainings and wonderful people!

20+ teachers and staff of Spencer Borden Elementary School in Fall River, MA were trained by me in CPR and AED usage today.  Those trained volunteered to attend this certification class that would allow them to assist in a life-threatening Sudden Cardiac Arrest emergency.  It was a beautiful start to national CPR/AED Awareness Week!

It was exciting to have the Heart Rhythm Society’s national event held in Boston this year!  I attended the event, helping out with Parent Heart Watch’s efforts to help protect children from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  It was wonderful to see so many friends from the heart health advocacy world and connect to new people who are helping to save lives.

The 2009 Boston Heart Ball was truly a breathtaking evening.  The American Heart Association out-did itself in the decor, food, music, and theme of this amazing event to fundraise for prevention of the number one killer of all Americans: heart disease.  Great job, AHA, on a wonderful night!!

This week I was interviewed for a story about risk associated with Sudden Cardiac Arrest in young people. 

Check out the story here: Death Among Young People of SCA Poses a Serious Little Known Risk

What a fantastic day…it never fails!  Lobby Day on the Hill was truly inspirational as I connected with my leaders and urged for action for heart disease and stroke with regards to NIH funding, CDC funding, and healthcare reform.  I am very fortunate to have been a part of this process in being able to feel like I truly can take action with an issue so close to my heart (no pun intended!).  My group was able to meet with Senators Kerry and Kennedy’s staff, and I once again was able to meet with my Representative, Congressman Jim McGovern, in person and receive his valuable support on the topics discussed.

Thank you, AHA and all of its volunteers and supporters, for another great Lobby Day!

Today has been simply amazing!  I look forward to tomorrow when the American Heart Association takes the Hill to lobby for important issues we are supporting with regards to heart disease and stroke.  The highlights of the trainings and events I attended today included learning some extremely important information regarding healthcare reform in this country, taking part in the AHA’s CPR Anytime Program, learning the topics we will be specifically speaking about to our representatives, enjoying a wonderful survivors’ luncheon, and participating in a workshop entitled ”Tips for Effective Hill Meetings” in which I helped to highlight what to do(and not to do!) while speaking with our Congressional leaders tomorrow.  I can’t wait to lobby tomorrow for change in our country’s assistance with the number one and number three causes of death in this country.

Featured below is my being able to meet the new CEO of the American Heart Association, Nancy Brown, along with part of AHA’s Team Massachusetts, and some Secret Service friends. 

Thanks for so many of my photos, as always, Jeff Foley!

Ah, yes…another year is here for lobbying in Washington, D.C. with the American Heart Association!  This will be my third visit to this amazing event where hundreds of volunteers and advocates from across the country join forces to show their support in ending the number one cause of death in our country: heart disease.  It doesn’t get any more powerful than seeing our sea of red flood the Capitol’s lawns as we urge our lawmakers to help us in this fight.  I look forward to meeting again with Congressman McGovern, a huge champion of our cause.  Senators Kennedy and Kerry have also given us tremendous support.  Go Massachusetts!

On Monday we will have a great, empowering day of trainings that include learning how to effectively share our stories, gaining a greater understanding of the process of how laws come to exist, productive media communication tools, and so much more.  It will be wonderful to re-connect with my fellow advocates from across the country, especially other survivors, and it will be even more exciting to once again take part in lobbying for this great cause to put an end to heart disease.  Stay tuned!

I was very honored to have recently graduated with a certificate in Thanatology from Bristol Community College.  Thanatology is a special field that explores death, dying, grief, and loss.  It’s a subject matter we all deal with, and it’s especially useful with my being a counselor and teacher. 

Last night at graduation, shortly after my singing the national anthem, I was announced as the Hathaway Funeral Service’s recipient of the Excellence in Thanatology Award for academic excellence in the study of Thanatology, dedication to the caregiving profession, and generous community service.  My work to advocate for heart disease awareness has been a special topic for me to speak with my professor, John Tormey, and my national speaking on this topic as a means to save lives and prevent grief made him believe I was a great candidate for this award.  I am very honored…there were so many wonderful, dedicated people who graduated from the program last night, and I am certainly proud to represent our graduates!

Thank you so much to John Tormey, Hathaway Funeral Service, and President Jack Sbrega.  I received a full year tuition to B.C.C. from my winning the Miss Massachusetts title, and my academic time at this school has been so rewarding and fulfilling!

I was fortunate to be able to attend the Longwood Medical Area ICD Support Group (made up of mainly Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital patients) Spring Fling!  It was an informative and supportive half day ICD patient workshop at the Shapiro Clinical Center in Boston.  Local physicians and device companies gave great presentations for ICD patients, and the day ended with Samuel F. Sears, PhD, speaking about ICD patients and their partners.  It was a great oppotunity to explore beyond the physical side of having an ICD and into the psychological implications and the goals that should be set to overcome the resulting challenges, both for a patient and his or her family.  It was an amazing presentation! I was able to hand out American Heart Association literature to other patients as well…great job to Marianne Daoust, RN and Julie Shea, MS, RNCS, FHRS, and Dorthy Williams for their dedicated work to pull this together!

Another outstanding Family Fun Night for Hearts at Play!

The event was held at Mass Premier Courts in Foxboro, MA, and featured a whirlwind of fun and exciting family activities that raised money for a great cause!  Hearts at Play is a culmination of the Lea family, the Grace Alice Campbell Foundation, and the outstanding work of many families and volunteers who are committed to fundraising to help children with congenital heart defects.  I had the honor of singing the national anthem, speaking on the importance of AEDs, and helping to present AEDs to the Mansfield Youth Soccer and Baseball Leagues….not to mention do some facepainting!

To learn more about Hearts at Play, click in!

Check out my audio interview with Diva Toolbox here!

Click in!

Diva Toolbox is committed to providing various resources to today’s women to help them achieve all of their goals in life.  My interview speaks on the ways we can lead a heart healthier life and help others along the way.

The last couple weeks have been a blast training the Fall River Youth Soccer spring soccer coaches.  I have been their instructor in learning CPR and using an AED.  Our recent AED fundraiser was able to provide the funds for the trainings to take place, and it has been a wonderful time to teach the coaches how to keep our kids safe!

For more information on Fall River Youth Soccer Association, click in.

I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Brianna Badger Foundation’s annual Starry Night Gala.  It was a beautiful evening in memory of a sweet 3-year-old girl who unexpectedly passed away from LongQT Syndrome, my heart condition.  The Badgers have made it their mission to save lives and help raise money primarily for the SADS Foundation. 

Please click in for more information on the two organizations:

The Brianna Badger Foundation

The SADS Foundation

My article entitled “Beat the Odds” was in Lola Magazine where I am featured as a Life Coach in the February 2009 issue (The Happiness Issue).  Lola is a Boston Globe Media Publication focused on women, and check out info on the magazine at http://www.lolaboston.com/. 

Click on the article below:

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation aims to raise awareness and save lives with regards to Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  They have an amazing Schools Campaign that aims to protect youth from SCA while empowering those who have survived.  Check them out!

Check out the new article featuring my story on the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation’s website.

Click in

There are few events as empowering as a gathering of hundreds of women who are dedicated to wiping out heart disease as the number one killer of women.  I had the privilege of being the keynote speaker for The Heart Truth Luncheon sponsored by St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, GA.  400 women came together, dressed in their red of course, to show their support for the cause.  Thank you so much for inviting me to such a tremendous luncheon!

There is no time like the beginning of the new year to decide that your heart health is a priority!  Here’s the fact: heart disease is the number one killer in this country, claiming more lives than the next 5 causes of death combined.  The good news is that most heart disease is preventable, and the education and technology exist today for lives to be saved.  Here are 9 ways you can join the crusade to decide that addressing heart health is essential.

1. Become certified in CPR and in using an AED 
The training takes approximately 4 hours…a commitment of time that is well worth the ability to save a life in an emergency situation.  If someone were to experience Sudden Cardiac Arrest, the single most common cause of death, CPR can double his or her likelihood of survival.  A Sudden Cardiac Arrest victim’s chance to live falls by 10% every minute without action.  That means that after 5 minutes without help, there is only a 50% chance of survival, and after 10 minutes there is likely no chance.  Use of an AED could increase the chance of survival by up to 70% or more.  These devices have the ability to detect a person who is experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest and can deliver a shock if needed to get the heart beating steadily again.  Children can even become trained in these life-saving techniques.  Contact your local American Heart Association office to find out about trainings happening in your area!

2. Check on the availability of AEDs in your community
Do your schools and their sports teams have AEDs?  Do your community centers and public facilities have AEDs?  Are all places where large numbers of people gather equipped with this life-saving device?  Quick calls to the superintendent’s office, head nurse, city hall, wellness official, etc. could provide you with a wealth of information to make sure your community is taking one of the most important steps to save lives.  If places are not properly protected with an AED, make some noise!  Contact the media and make sure people know that more has to be done to keep citizens safe.  Feeling especially motivated?  Fundraise to place AEDs in key places! 

3. Make an appointment with your doctor and get your physical
When was your last routine physical?  Most people cannot remember…
If you are in this group, then there is no time like the present to schedule a…

Another fun-filled night of hockey and heart health awareness!

I was able to attend the Boston Bruins’ Go Red for Women Night for the third year in a row, and this year was extremely special.  Not only was I able to return to the ice for a celebrity shoot-out (I sadly missed the net!), but I was presented with a community leadership award from the Bruins.  The real magic happened behind the scenes though…while waiting to take the ice, I happened to notice one of the Boston Celtics basketball nets conveniently located near the ground.  Being the huge Celtics fan that I am, I took this opportunity to pose while “dunking” on the rim.  Definitely a highlight of the night! 

My continued thanks to the American Heart Association for including me in such outstanding advocacy events!  A special thanks to Jeff Foley for the sweet photos, as always! 

Check out the article from the Boston Bruins website:  click in