Akron Life April 2023

Go Red For Women

As a mother, I tend to put my kids and others first. In the last several years, I have started focusing on my health, and heart health is a part of that. Like others, my family has recently been impacted by heart related health issues, which has increased my awareness and my desire to raise others’ awareness as well. I want to ensure that people recognize warning signs and take action. Additionally, raising two daughters, I want to lead by example and ensure that they have the appropriate knowledge to make heart-healthy choices to build a posi tive foundation as they move forward.”

WOMAN OF IMPACT The American Heart Association Woman of Impact campaign brings together changemakers throughout the country who are passionate and driven to make a lasting impact on the health of women in their communities. They spread awareness of cardiovascular health and have been fundraising from Feb. 3 to April 6. At the end of the campaign, one of these women will be selected as the 2023 Woman of Impact! Visit our local Woman of Impact website to learn more and get inspired to take action.

Tamiyka Rose , Deputy Chief of Staff, City of Akron “My husband suf fered an aneurysm and aortic dis

MEET THE CLASS OF 2023 WOMAN OF IMPACT

Katie Batdorff , Realtor, Howard Hanna “In 2013, I lost my brother, suddenly, to a heart-related

not just affect that person; it affects their family and their friends as well. By learn ing things like CPR, the warning signs and how diet and exercise choices can make all the difference, we can literally save lives and help others to keep making memories together with those they love.”

section, and he thought it was indigestion. After several days of symptoms, he finally went to the emergency room and was immediately Life Flighted to Cleveland Clinic main campus to have emergency open-heart surgery. This news was shocking to all of us. We learned that no matter how well you take care of yourself, family history will catch up to you if you try to ignore it. As women, we can all take care of ourselves and cook the right foods for our family, but the most important things are to know the signs of cardiac arrest, heart attack and stroke. Knowing the signs can save the lives of the ones we love. Thanks to the great doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, my hus band is still here with us.”

event. My family and I were devastated. A few years later, I was hospitalized for an unrelated health issue when one of my doctors noticed a problem with my heart. I was diagnosed with HOCM [hypertro phic obstructive cardiomyopathy]. The American Heart Association was my go-to place outside of my doctor and the hospital to get straightforward and easy-to-under stand materials about what was happening in my heart. In 2020, I had open-heart surgery to correct an overgrowth of muscle that was greatly affecting the operation of my heart. I feel so very lucky that I had such a great team of doctors [I still do], and I had the power of knowing what was going on thanks to the incredible research of the American Heart Association.”

Krista Dobronos , Senior Vice President and Consumer Banking Lender, Westfield Bank

“Did you know that the American Heart Association, through their work with

NINDS [National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke], contributed to the funding and early discovery of advancement of heart and stroke initiatives? One of those initiatives is the clot-dissolving medicine tPA [tissue plasminogen activator] for acute ischemic stroke. A little over seven months ago, at age 44, I suffered an acute ischemic stroke and was a recipient of tPA. It saved my life, and now I want to share my story so that I can contribute awareness to be a part of the solution.”

Debra Shifrin , Attorney, Liner Legal “Both my parents died in their 70s due to heart dis

Susan Boggs ,

Director of Workforce Development, FirstEnergy Corp.

ease. They both had open-heart surgery before age 60. Some of this may be due to smoking, but genetics also played a factor. I know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women and awareness and raising funds for this important cause may help me live long enough to watch my grandchildren grow up. I have decided to be a Woman of Impact for me, my family, my friends and all women who need a fighting chance.”

Laura Kish , Global Analytics IT Director,

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and so many times could be prevented through education and awareness. Almost all of us know someone who has suffered or died from heart dis ease. If you do, you also know that it does

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. “Heart disease affects the lives of so many individuals, unfortunately with tragic results sometimes.

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akronlife.com | APRIL 2023