ROCHESTER, NY (May 19, 2018) On Saturday, May 19th, 2018, Phil Muscato, Senior Vice President of KeyBank and Chair of the 2018 Rochester Heart Ball along with over 400 guests celebrated the mission and work of the American Heart Association in our community raising $370,000.
The 2018 Rochester Heart Ball was held at Oak Hill Country Club on Saturday, May 19th. Guests were inspired by Dr. John Bisognano of UR Medicine, Lauren Dixon and Mike Schwabl of Dixon Schwabl, recipients of the Dr. Arthur J. Moss Community award for outstanding contributions to the health of the Rochester community as well as Trisha Sullivan, a heart survivor and first-grade teacher in Pittsford. The black-tie evening featured cocktails, dinner, dancing and a live auction, drawing the region’s most passionate business leaders, medical professionals and donors to raise funds and awareness to fight heart diseases and stroke, the No. 1 and No. 3 killers in the Greater Rochester Region.
“My goal is to bring awareness to what SCAD is but more importantly that heart disease can affect any one at any age,” Trisha said. “I thought I was in the best shape of my life but that wasn’t the case. Everyone should recognize the symptoms of heart disease and seek help immediately if they feel something isn’t right,” Trisha added.
The American Heart Association notes that 80% of cardiac events may be prevented if certain risk factors are controlled including obesity, high blood pressure and smoking. It is also recommended you know your family health history, know your numbers (high blood pressure, cholesterol) and are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day.
“At a very young age, 42, my mother had a heart attack. While luckily it was mild, it taught me the importance of noticing the signs of heart disease and how crucial it is to make lifestyle changes when necessary,” Phil Muscato, Senior Vice President, KeyBank said. “This is why the work the American Heart Association is doing in our community is so important, so researchers can follow in the footsteps of Dr. Moss, find the next breakthrough and ensure we have more survivors like Trisha Sullivan,” Phil added.
Leading the campaign for 2019 are co-chairs Todd Liebert and Dan Duprey of Clark Patterson Lee.
The 2018 Rochester Heart Ball lead sponsors were KeyBank, Constellation Brands, Clark Patterson Lee, Postler & Jaeckle, UR Medicine, Rochester Regional Health and Leonard’s Express. The media sponsors were iHeart Radio and 13 WHAM ABC-TV, with 13 WHAM’s Ginny Ryan and Mike Catalana as emcees.
May is also #StrokeMonth. Â Someone has a stroke every 40 seconds in the U.S. Knowing your risk factors, the warning signs and how to respond during a stroke could save a life.
To donate in support of heart and stroke research, advocacy and education through the Heart Ball or for more information, please visit rochesterheartball.heart.org or call 585.371.3112. To learn more about the Rochester American Heart Association, visit our local website www.heart.org/RochesterNY. Â Connect with us locally on Facebook and Instagram @AHANewYork or Twitter @HeartROC. #ROCHeartBall.
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Media Contact: Jackie Mangione. Email: Jackie.Mangione@heart.org. Phone: 585-967-7749
About the Rochester American Heart & Stroke Association The American Heart & Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers in Rochester. 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 American Heart Association is the nation’s largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved with the Rochester affiliate, call 1-585-371-3112, visit the local website www.heart.org/RochesterNY. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. #LifeisWhyROC