The 2023 Vermont Go Red for Women® event will be held on April 11th at the Hilton Burlington Lake Champlain. Joanne Leclerc, Manager, Portfolio Project Management with NuHarbor Security, has stepped up to be the 2023 Vermont Go Red for Women Chair.
Joanne Leclerc
“Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, claiming more women’s lives than all forms of cancer combined. However, a majority of cardiac and stroke events can be prevented through lifestyle changes such as moving more, eating smart and managing blood pressure,” said Leclerc. “That is why I am very much looking forward to continuing to partner with the Association to help educate Vermont women on the importance of living a healthy life and not ignoring warning signs. When asked to serve as this year’s chair, I had no hesitation.”
The Association’s Go Red for Women movement launched in 2004 to empower women to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease, which continues to be the leading killer and is on the rise in younger women.
The Vermont Go Red for Women event aims to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease in women, as well as generate funds for lifesaving heart disease and stroke research. The evening’s dinner program, hosted by Mary Cenci of Star 92.9 and Lauren Maloney of Local 22 and Local 44, will feature inspiring survivor stories, heart disease and stroke education, and an exciting silent auction.
For Leclerc, the Association’s mission hits close to home. “I know all too well the devastating effects of a stroke as my daughter Jamie is a two-time stroke survivor. As a first grader, my daughter suffered her first hemorrhagic stroke caused by an aneurism. Because most 7-year-olds do not have strokes, and I was unaware of the symptoms of a stroke, Jamie went almost four days undiagnosed. She fully recovered from this first stroke, but she was not as lucky the second time around. Her second hemorrhagic stroke occurred at age 12 due to an arteriovenous malformation. This time, we knew exactly what was happening and she received medical care immediately. She does still suffer from lasting right-side weakness, but this has not stopped her from graduating early from college and now working her dream job,” she said.
With Leclerc’s leadership, the Vermont Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Team has set a goal to raise $85,000 to support the Association’s lifesaving work. The Executive Leadership Team includes: Elisabeth “Lisa” Harris, Chief People Officer, Vermont Energy Investment Corp; Sarah Larson, Owner and CFO, Otter Creek Awnings; Deb Loughlin, Director Business Development and Marketing, Employee Benefits Practice, The Richards Group; Megan Peek, Director of Community Relations and Health Promotion, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont; Kathryn Towle, MS, CPA, Director Of Finance and Accounting, NG Advantage LLC; and Cynthia Turner, VP of HR, Vermont Federal Credit Union.
The Vermont Go Red for Women event is sponsored nationally by CVS Health and locally by Vermont Gas, Local 22 and Local 44, and Star 92.9.
For more information about the 2023 Vermont Go Red for Women event please visit http://vtgored.heart.org or email [email protected].