Local Montecito Resident Michele Mallet Featured Survivor and Passion Speaker
Courtesy photos.
SANTA BARBARA — The American Heart Association wants women on the Central Coast to know that our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends are at risk. Heart disease and stroke kills about one woman every 80 seconds – more than all cancers combined. The good news is that 80 percent of cardiac events may be prevented with education and lifestyle changes. Be part of the change to end heart disease at the 22nd annual Go Red For Women Luncheon.
For more than a decade Go Red For Women has fought for equal health opportunities for women. We proudly wear red, share our stories of survival and advocate for more research and swifter action for women’s heart and brain health. More than 450 men and women will come together and spend the day learning about heart disease and stroke and what they can do to reduce their risk factors. The Go Red for Women event will begin with a Health Expo at 10:30 a.m., followed by the sold-out Luncheon and Program at noon on Friday, February 9, 2018 at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara.
Michele Mallet.
This year’s program will feature local Montecito resident Michele Mallet. Last August, at the age of 43, Michele woke up at 4:30 in the morning and knew something was wrong. An avid runner, hiker, yoga enthusiast and overall healthy woman, Michele was the last person you’d expect to go into cardiac arrest. “The American Heart Association tells women to ‘know their numbers’ to understand their risk factors. My numbers were good. But I also know my body,” Michele shares. “And it’s so important to listen to your body and ask for help.”
“Michele had a coronary angiogram with coronary stent placement,” explains Dr. Michael Shenoda, a Cardiologist with Sansum Clinic and Michele’s doctor. “She suffered a cardiac arrest, where her heart stopped beating due to a life threatening abnormal heart rhythm from her heart attack, which occurred from a spontaneous tear in her heart artery.”
The annual Go Red For Women campaign raises awareness that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and encourages them to take preventive measures to reduce their risk. The movement harnesses the energy, passion and power women have to band together and collectively wipe out heart disease. It also gives them the tools they need to lead a heart healthy life. On a national level, the Go Red For Women movement has resulted in 650,000 women’s lives being saved over the last 10 years.
Janet Garufis and Jill Fonte.
The Go Red for Women Luncheon Executive Team is responsible for the success of the event and is made up of area business and community leaders. This year’s Executive Team includes Janet Garufis, Jill Fonte, Linda le Brock, George Leis and David Edelman. Janet Garufis, Chairman and CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust, and Jill Fonte, Public Information Officer and Director of Marketing for Sansum Clinic, are co-chairing the Santa Barbara 2018 Go Red for Women Luncheon.
The Go Red Luncheon for Women is sponsored nationally by Macy’s and CVS and locally by Cottage Heart and Vascular Center, Paseo Nuevo, Sansum Clinic, Montecito Bank & Trust, Pacific Western Bank, The Towbes Group, Radius Group Commercial Real Estate, CenCal Health, Idea Engineering, First American Title, OnQ Financial, Village Properties, Sansum Santa Barbara Medical Clinic, American Riviera Bank, Community West Bank, Marborg, Visus LLC, Seed Mackall LLP, Invoca, LogMeIn, Land Rover Santa Barbara, Union Bank, Central Coast Home Health and Hospice, Diane Rushing, Ashleigh Taylor Portrait, Santa Barbara Airbus, SolWave Water, SB Creative Content, KEYT News Channel 3, Pacific Coast Business Times, Santa Barbara Independent, K-LITE 101.7, 805 Living and Cox.
For more information, please visit GoRedSB.org.
About the American Heart Association: The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the American Stroke Association: The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke — the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit StrokeAssociation.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association receives funding mostly from individuals. Foundations and corporations donate as well, and fund specific programs and events. Strict policies are enforced to prevent these relationships from influencing the Association’s science content. Financial information for the American Heart Association, including a list of contributions from pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers, is available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding.