Hearts of Gold
By Rob Earnshaw | Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The American Heart Association has presented Claude Watts, Jr., CEO/President, Methodist Hospitals with a special award to recognize Methodist Hospitals commitment to the fight against heart disease and stroke in Northwest Indiana.
Methodist Hospitals is the American Heart Association’s exclusive presenting hospital sponsor for Northwest Indiana and several AHA events including Go Red for Women Education Symposium, Lake County Goes Red, Start! Heart Walk, Power to End Stroke educational programming and the Heart of Gold Ball held Feb. 16 at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville.
In a news release, Watts said Methodist’s renewed three-year partnership with the American Heart Association is reflective of its financial commitment to support the AHA to advance groundbreaking research and spread lifesaving knowledge.
“Heart disease is the number one cause of death in men and women,” Watts said. “Each day our quality of cardiac care is enhanced as a direct result of the American Heart Association’s funded research and education. Methodist Hospitals is committed to making sure tomorrow’s advancements in cardiovascular care are available in our community for so many who will need it.”
The Heart of Gold Ball not only raised funds for research through its live and silent auctions, the event also honored John E. Carter, M.D. with the 2008 Heart of Gold Award. Guests not already familiar with the longtime Hobart physician learned that Carter has been informing patients for decades of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the importance of changing what they had control to change by modification of lifestyle habits.
The Ball also recognized Madhu Ranade of Arcelor Mittal, Burns Harbor, as the top walker in the United States for raising over $150,000 as an individual walker for the Star! Heart Walk 2007.
The final guest speaker at the Ball was Debi Pillarella, Heart Victor and Stroke Victor at age 34. Pillarella, an American Council on Exercise National Fitness Spokesperson, is forever grateful that AHA funding is what made the medical advancements available at the time she needed them most.
“I encourage funding for organizations such as the American Heart to move our medical professionals and their wonderful technologies forward into the future so are children of tomorrow will not have to endure the type of things I have gone through,” Pillarella said. “I’m thrilled to be standing here and encourage you to continue to provide the support the AHA needs.”
Back to "In the News"
Back to top
|
