Message From Cindy Havard
Dear Friends of Heart,
Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world free of cardiovascular disease and stroke? To
no longer suffer the pain of losing a loved one to these debilitating and sometimes deadly
diseases? I believe there is a future much like this.
Cardiovascular disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 3 killers in Kent County. The American Heart Association is working hard to reduce and one day destroy these numbers.
I would be honored to have you present at our 2011 West Michigan Go Red for Women Conference. Your support of the American Heart Association and its mission by making a personal donation would be priceless. I look forward to seeing you at this event.
With heartfelt thanks,
Cindy Havard
2011 Go Red For Women Chair
Volunteer Spotlight
Sharon Burrsma, Circle of Red Chair & Heart Survivor
Even though Sharon Buursma had been a coronary care nurse years ago, she lived most of her life believing that as a women, she wasn't at high risk for heart attacks. In 2004, she read an article from the American Heart Association's new Go Red For Women initiative stating that women carry the same risk as men for heart attacks and that the symptoms can be far more subtle.
Two months later, Sharon noticed discomfort in her chest that she dismissed as indigestion. She was wrong. It was a heart attack and it wasn't her first. Five months and nine stents later, Sharon had "tightness" in her chest. After surgery Sharon's rapid heartbeat needed cardioversion. During the procedure her heart stopped for 35 seconds. Sharon's medical team revived her but her recovery has meant a whole new way of life!
She's devoted herself to a healthier lifestyle. She is an active volunteer in the Go Red for Women campaign, Circle of Red Chairperson, as well as a speaker on women's health and heart disease. Sharon is sincere about spreading the news that heart disease is a woman's greatest health threat.
