It’s like nana used to say
by Jeffrey Holt, Chief Operating Officer, Kaleida Health Systems & Chair 2017 Buffalo Niagara Heart Ball
I am a proud Buffaloian. Born and raised in the Village of Kenmore, I am also proud to be a leader and Chief Operating Officer at Kaleida Health Systems. My name is Jeffrey Holt and I am the 2017 Buffalo Niagara Heart Ball Chair for the American Heart Association.
Throughout my career in health care, there has been one common thread – the prevention and treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases and stroke. After living in New York City for a decade, I returned to Western New York, eager to educate and empower our community to make healthy choices, take charge of their health and live healthier lives.
Education, prevention and treatment are the cornerstones of the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association mission. We share the same goal: help people live longer, healthier lives.
As Chair of the 2017 Buffalo Niagara Heart Ball, I would like guests and others reading this, to walk away more educated about the resources available to them and their loved ones. Moreover, I want others to take charge of their health.
Unlike most, I don’t have a direct connection to heart disease or stroke. Friends and family members though have been affected. When you see loved one’s afflicted with any disease, you want to help. Whether your family is like mine and has many risk factors (like Diabetes and Hypertension), it makes you realize that making healthy choices, knowing your numbers and regularly visiting the doctor is critical to sustaining personal health.
Some people don’t have the opportunity to get well or have never been healthy. I want others to be as cognizant of that as I am, in my role as a father, a son, a friend and as a Chief Operating Officer at Kaleida Health.
My Sicilian nana, Vincenza, used to say, “Take care of yourself. You’re important.”
My co-workers at Kaleida Health Systems and I share the mission with the Buffalo Niagara American Heart Association- to create lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. I look forward to the upcoming Heart Ball on April 28th at the Statler Hotel. It isn’t just a culmination of the year-long efforts of working with the American Heart Association. The funds raised over the course of this year and at the Heart Ball stay in our community, funding research and education, that ultimately saves lives for generations to come. I want others who attend the Heart Ball or are reading this to walk away more educated about the resources available to them and their loved ones, learn something new, hear from courageous survivors about why the work we are doing matters and ultimately be empowered to take charge of their health.
The Heart Ball is an incredible networking event, promoting and shepherding the collisions between people who can promote change in our community and healthcare.
I hope you join us April 28th and if you can’t make it, I hope you find a way to embrace the opportunity and take advantage of the numerous resources the Buffalo Niagara American Heart Association offers.
Remember what nana says, “Take care of yourself. You’re important”.
For more information about heart diseases and stroke or to volunteer at the Buffalo Niagara American Heart Association, visit www.heart.org/buffalo. For more information about Kaleida Health Systems, visit www.KaleidaHealth.org.