Who Does the United Way Help at St. Louis Community College?
American Heart Association - Greater St. Louis Chapter
Medical research and promotion of cardiovascular health.
americanheart.org
Allocation amount: $929,578
In February 2008, the American Heart Association conducted its first ever national casting call to select real women, not actors, to share their heart health stories as part of a new campaign, Go Red for Women.
Go Red for Women was created to educate women about their risks for heart disease and to provide tools to help reduce their personal risk. In addition, Go Red for Women unites women in diverse neighborhoods from coast to coast.
Patricia Henderson, senior manager of employment at Cosand Center, was compelled to share her story. Almost a decade ago, Patricia survived a heart attack after being clinically dead for one hour. At Missouri Baptist Hospital she is known as the "miracle patient."
Patricia submitted a video of her story to the AHA, one of 700 that the agency received. Patricia and eight other women were selected. Each had varying status, ethnicity, age and backgrounds but had a common goal - to share their stories in an effort to educate other women about heart disease.
The AHA created a web site- goredforwomen.org - as a resource tool, which gives other women an opportunity to join, become involved or get information about their own heart health.
Patricia is currently a spokesperson for the AHA and was recently honored at a reception New York City. NBC -TV host Hoda Kotb spoke at the reception and invited Patricia and the other seven women selected for the campaign to appear on the Today Show to promote the network's special, "Go Red for Women - Untold Stories of the Heart."
Patricia participates in speaking engagements throughout the St. Louis region to share her personal heart story and to educate women about living heart healthy, eating properly, exercising regularly, reducing stress, and knowing heart health numbers such as cholesterol and blood pressure.
For more information about this and other agencies served by the United Way of Greater St. Louis, visit stl.unitedway.org.