The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign empowers women to be in control of their heart health at every age
The American Heart Association, announced Deanna Fidler, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer of FM Global, as 2021 Southern New England Go Red for Women Digital Luncheon Chair to support the fight to end heart disease and stroke. FM Global is one of the world’s largest commercial property insurers and the largest private company in Rhode Island, whose clients include more than one-third of the Fortune 1000.
This premier event will be held on April 15th, 2021 and is designed to raise awareness of the number one killer of women: cardiovascular disease.
[COVID-19 DISCLAIMER AS OF JAN. 2020: With the evolving impact of coronavirus in communities across the country, many women are facing new challenges keeping them from their day-to-day activities. The Go Red for Women® Luncheons nationwide moved digital to support women where they are and continue to spotlight the lifesaving work of the Association and the Go Red for Women movement. These signature events will be held as a virtual gathering, to prioritize the safety and well-being of guests and families during the COVID-19 public health crisis. The Southern New England American Heart Association is closely following the Center for Disease Control, Governor Gina Raimondo, and the Rhode Island Department of Health guidelines of gatherings to ensure the safety and health of our community.]
As Chair, Deanna will lead a spirited team of volunteers to organize, educate and fundraise towards the mission of the Go Red for Women movement, which is rooted in raising awareness among women that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women around the world. 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.
“I am involved and committed to the Go Red movement since losing both of my parents to heart disease,” said Deanna. “These events created a strong commitment for me going forward to bring awareness and education to others around heart disease. Throughout my career, and working with Go Red, it has been so rewarding to not only positively impact the heart health and wellbeing of others but to meet such wonderful and talented women to partner with on this incredible cause!”
Deanna brings with her over a decade of volunteer leadership experience for the American Heart Association, including spearheading multiple Go Red for Women initiatives. Before joining FM Global in 2018, Fidler served for three years as the chief human resources officer at global asset management firm T. Rowe Price in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to this role, she worked at Aetna in Hartford, Connecticut for seven years in several HR senior leadership roles including executive vice president, chief human resources officer. Earlier in her career, she held senior human resources-related roles at Swiss Re and GE Insurance Solutions. Fidler holds a Bachelor of Science in business and a Master of Science in human resources management.
“We are thrilled to have Deanna’s experience, passion and energy to lead Go Red in our region. Together, we know that we will have a positive impact on the lives of women in our community and the families that depend on them now more than ever,” shared Michelle Clark, Go Red for Women Director for the Southern New England American Heart Association.
While nearly 80 percent of cardiac events may be prevented, cardiovascular disease continues to be a woman’s greatest health threat. One in three women in Southern New England lives with some form of cardiovascular disease, and it is on the rise in younger women. To prevent cardiovascular disease, women should understand family health history, know their numbers, and make lifestyle changes like moving more, eating smart and managing their blood pressure. Risk factors that are within women’s control include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, poor diet, obesity/overweight and diabetes.
Women continue to be disproportionally affected by cardiovascular diseases and underrepresented in clinical trials which is the lifesaving research needed to treat heart attacks and strokes more successfully. (For the latest reseach, click here.) There is considerably more understanding of the biological differences between men and women including disease progression and treatment response. While strides have been made to close gender and racial disparities in research and within the health care system, women continue to be underrepresented and overlooked in the U.S. and globally. To combat this, the American Heart Association and Verily’s Project Baseline launched Research Goes RedTM to encourage women to sign up and participate in clinical trials.
The luncheon features keynote speakers, inspiring survivor stories and more. For more information, please contact Southern New England American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Director, Michelle Clark at [email protected] or 401-228-2322. You can also click here for more information or to make a donation.
FM Global is a corporate sponsor of the 2021 Southern New England Go Red for Women luncheon and campaign initiative. Read about last year’s luncheon highlights here! This premier event is sponsored nationally and locally by CVS. Additional local sponsors include Lifespan Corporation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and Fidelity Investments.