Kait Beck, operations manager at Perry Strength & Fitness in Shermans Dale, Perry County, is the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Capital Region Woman of Impact Winner for 2025. She won the local competition by raising funds and increasing awareness to combat heart disease and stroke in women while improving overall well-being in the community. According to the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the U.S. It claims the lives of 1 in 3 women disproportionately affecting women of color.
“Woman of Impact nominees have an opportunity to demonstrate just how much power each of us has to ensure all women in the Capital Region are seen, heard and counted when it comes to their health,” said Blake Milbrand, development director for the American Heart Association in south central Pennsylvania. “They’re efforts are helping to ensure more women are represented in research, have the information they need for heart health through every stage of life and receive quality and timely care.”
Over the course of nine weeks, Beck along with a team of family, friends and colleagues, competed for the Woman of Impact title by participating in various community awareness and fundraising activities. After raising critical funds and driving women’s health education initiatives, including CPR and first aid training sessions and a series of scenic hikes, Beck was named this year’s winner. Beck and her fellow Woman of Impact nominees will be recognized at the Capital Region Go Red for Women Luncheon on May 1 at the West Shore Country Club in Camp Hill.
“As the first woman from Perry County to be nominated for Woman of Impact, I had a very special opportunity to highlight heart health in the community where I was born and raised,” said Beck. “I have seen first-hand how under-served Perry County can be in access to healthcare, wellness services, nutritional guidance and healthy foods. We have come so far, but we have to push for lasting, healthy changes. I wanted my campaign to raise awareness and start making changes that will help communities like mine live healthier.”
The Woman of Impact campaign is part of the American Heart Association’s signature Go Red for Women movement, a comprehensive platform that has been increasing women’s heart health awareness and improving the lives of women globally for more than two decades. The campaign launched in over 100 cities on National Wear Red Day®, February 7. In the Capital Region, five community leaders were nominated to participate. Collectively, this year’s nominees raised $50,000 for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement.
Other local nominees included:
- Paula Beleck, senior benefit sales consultant, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
- Patti Hill, project manager and media solutions advisor, Triscari Video | Web | Marketing
- Laura Kennedy, relationship manager, Belco Community Credit Union
- Beth Lehr, general manager, KickHouse York and KickHouse Hershey
While the large majority of cardiac events can be prevented, CVD continues to be a woman’s greatest health threat, as nearly 45% of women over age 20 are living with some form of CVD.[1] Women also experience unique life stages, like pregnancy and menopause, that can increase their risk of developing CVD. Community leaders involved in Woman of Impact are paving the way for the future of women’s heart health and enabling more women to live longer and healthier lives.
To learn more about the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement or the Capital Region Go Red for Women Luncheon, visit heart.org/goredhbg.
[1], [1][1], [1][1][1] , [1]V Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, Anderson CAM, Arora P, Avery CL, Baker-Smith CM, Beaton AZ, Boehme AK, Buxton AE, Commodore Mensah Y, Elkind MSV, Evenson KR, Eze-Nliam C, Fugar S, Generoso G, Heard DG, Hiremath S, Ho JE, Kalani R, Kazi DS, Ko D, Levine DA,Liu J, Ma J, Magnani JW, Michos ED, Mussolino ME, Navaneethan SD, Parikh NI, Poudel R, Rezk-Hanna M, Roth GA, Shah NS, St-Onge M-P, Thacker EL, Virani SS, Voeks JH, Wang N-Y, Wong ND, Wong SS, Yaffe K, Martin SS; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2023 update: a report from the American Heart Association [published ahead of print January 25, 2023].
Circulation. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001123