by AVERY THOMAS, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
Dust off your ball gown and tux for a night on the town for the American Heart Association’s 2023 Triad Heart Ball on Friday, April 21 at Legacy Stables and Events in Winston-Salem. The Heart Ball celebrates the American Heart Association’s collective success in driving change, funding science and encouraging behaviors that improve heart health in our community.
This year, the Heart Ball and Heart of the Triad initiative is focused on stroke and prevention. As part of Encompass Health’s Platform Sponsorship and in an effort to increase awareness of the warning signs of stroke, a traveling display of large F.A.S.T. letters are on exhibit throughout Triad businesses and organizations this year.
“F” stands for face drooping. “A” stands for arm weakness. “S” stands for speech difficulty. “T” stands for time to call 9-1-1. If a person shows any of the symptoms, even if their symptoms go away, 9-1-1 should be called and the person should get to a hospital immediately.
According to the American Heart Association, every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke and every three minutes and 17 seconds, a person dies from a stroke. The faster a stroke is treated, the more likely the patient is to recover. In addition, stroke patients who are treated with a clot busting drug within 90 minutes of their first symptoms are almost three times more likely to recover with little or no disability. To learn more about stroke, visit www.stroke.org.
The good news is that heart attack and stroke-related events can be largely preventable with education and lifestyle changes, such as knowing your vital health numbers, moving more, reducing sodium intake, adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, and managing vital health numbers including blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. For more information on the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, visit www.heart.org/lifes8.
“Like many individuals across the country, I have personally experienced how cardiovascular disease can impact a family,” said Anita Prendergast, 2023 Triad Heart Ball Chair and CEO of Novant Health Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of Encompass Health. “In addition, our team at Encompass Health sees the devastating effects of stroke every day in our community through the services we provide at our rehabilitation hospital. Encouraging all families to learn the F.A.S.T. warning signs of a stroke is critical to identifying a stroke quickly, leading to the best possible treatment options and outcomes for patients. I am honored to help lead this effort in the Triad.”
The Triad Heart Ball is proudly sponsored by Life is Why Sponsor, Novant Health, and Platform Sponsor, Novant Health Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of Encompass Health. This event includes a survivor celebration, silent and live auctions, a gourmet dinner, acoustic guitar by Kevin Beck, and live music with dancing courtesy of Hot Sauce. Tickets are on sale now at TriadHeartBall.Heart.org. For event questions, contact TriadNC@heart.org.
