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Raising Funds — And Awareness — To Benefit the Hearts of Women
When a person is experiencing
the symptoms of a heart attack,
time is everything. A quick
diagnosis and prompt treatment increases
a patient's chances of survival and reduces
the risk for permanent heart damage.
With $56,000 raised by the Women's
Philanthropic Fund... the heart of
Meridian, Meridian Health is purchasing
new technology that will enable paramedics
to perform electrocardiograms (EKGs)
en route to the hospital — and transmit the
data to waiting doctors. This will enable
the emergency teams within the three
Meridian Health hospitals to respond more
quickly to heart attack patients and get
them into the cardiac catheterization lab
faster to open a blocked coronary artery.
"Raising funds for the heart program,
services, and technology at Meridian Health
is one of our main goals," says Paulette
Roberts, the former president of Meridian
Health Affiliated Foundations, who helped
launch the philanthropic group.
Educating Women About Heart Disease
Educating women in Monmouth and
Ocean counties about heart disease was
the inspiration for the group's formation
in September 2006. Heart disease is the number one killer of American women.
Unfortunately, many women don't know
this important fact. Although significant
progress has been made in increasing
awareness among women, most fail to
make the connection between risk
factors and their own odds of developing
heart disease.
With a founding board of 10 women,
the Women's Philanthropic Fund hosted
a sold-out fundraiser last spring to launch
the organization. The luncheon at Avenue
in West Long Branch included a talk by
Pamela Serure, who authored the book
Take It to Heart about her experience
with heart disease, and Tara Singer, a
heart attack survivor. Last December, the
group hosted a fundraising cocktail party
at Garmany in Red Bank, and it has raised
funds through membership dues as well.
Touching Lives
"Just about everyone I know and everyone
who is on our board has been touched
by heart disease," Roberts says. "It's
rewarding to know that with a collective
effort through the Women's Philanthropic
Fund, we can really make an impact and
help improve the health and well-being of
our communities."
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