More than 700 guests attended the Southern New England Go Red for Women Luncheon at the Rhode Island Convention Center. The event was chaired by Lisa Abbott, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Community Affairs, for a consecutive year.
Emceed by award-winning journalist from WJAR NBC, Alison Bologna, guests were welcomed to the celebration with a Festival of Red, featuring cooking demos, health screenings, interactive photo booths, chair massages, educational opportunities and more.
The Southern New England Go Red for Women Luncheon is nationally and locally sponsored by CVS Health. National Chairperson for the Go Red for Women Campaign, Lisa Bisaccia, EVP and Chief Human Resource Officer, CVS Health, joined to share with attendees the importance of closing the gender gap when it comes to equitable health care for women.
Carolyn Belisle, Managing Director of Community Investment at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Channavay Chlay, Executive Director of the Center for Southeast Asians, were presented the prestigious Cheryl W. Snead Servant Leadership Award by Junior Jabbie, President and CEO of Banneker Industries.
Honorary guests for the evening were the incredible survivors of the Heart2Heart Storyteller Class of 2020, a campaign sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Through visual imagery and an impactful video, Melissa Cummings, Southern New England American Heart Association Board Member, and Executive Vice President, Chief Customer Officer of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island shared brave survivor stories of several local women who faced heart disease and stroke. These courageous survivors shared their journeys to educate and advocate the warning signs and symptoms of heart disease and stroke, as well as emphasize the importance of self-care.
Keynote speaker, Alison Levine, the first American Women’s Everest Expedition Team Captain and New York Times bestselling author of On the Edge, and heart survivor inspired with her stories of leadership in extreme conditions.
A huge thank you to the 2020 Chairperson, Lisa Abbott for all of her hard work and commitment to the Southern New England American Heart Association. This event would not be possible without the incredible support of sponsors CVS Health, Amica Insurance Company, Lifespan, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Delta Dental, Fidelity Investments, NTT Data, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Marsh & McLennan Agency, Citrin Cooperman, Robinson & Cole, KPMG, Bank Newport, Rhode Island Medical Imaging, AWE, Amgen and media sponsors NBC10, Providence Business News, iHeart Media and Montage Media.
Go Red for Women is the American Heart Association’s national movement to end heart disease and stroke in women. The American Heart Association raises funds from local and national Go Red for Women activities to support awareness, research, education and community programs to benefit women. The movement provides a platform for women and their families to lead healthier lives, driving collective action for community transformation. It also encourages women to demand equal access to healthcare for themselves and their families and explore STEM-related careers.
See more photos on Facebook. If you were unable to attend but would still like to make a donation in memory of a survivor in your life please click here.
For more information about Southern New England Go Red for Women, please contact Southern New England American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Director, Michelle Clark at [email protected] or 401-228-2322.