We're all tied to heart disease and stroke in some way, and raising funds to better our understanding of preventative measures and warning signs while increasing survival rates by advancing medicine is worthwhile for us all.
In 2019 my dad suffered an aortic dissection. This is a fatal condition with an annual mortality rate of up to 90%, and time is of the essence once it occurs. The emergency room doctors didn't realize what was going on for over two hours before flying him to another hospital for life-saving surgery followed by 30 days in the ICU. We were so fortunate that the surgeon on staff that evening had performed this surgery several times before, and we got to enjoy four more years with my dad before his passing last November. Having my dad with me as I walked down the aisle less than a year after his aortic dissection is a memory I will always treasure.
If you are able to contribute, your donation will fund groundbreaking research that keeps hearts beating and helps people have longer, healthier lives.
This year, as we celebrate the Centennial of the American Heart Association, we will move health and well-being forward in important and critical ways. This relentless pursuit will continue until heart disease and stroke no longer exist.