Petrone, Slocum to chair Go Red for Women Luncheon

theresa-petrone

Theresa Petrone

leah-slocum

Leah Slocum

CAP COM, Peak Residential Executives to Chair 2017 Go Red for Women Luncheon

Theresa Petrone was an overweight child. Leah Slocum’s half-sister had a stroke at the age of 34. The two women have teamed up to help raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases – and ways to prevent them – and will chair the 2017 Go Red for Women Luncheon. The Luncheon is set for Thursday, May 25, 2017, at the Albany Marriott.

“Childhood obesity had a big impact on me, and I know exactly what it means to have transitioned to a healthy lifestyle. Everything is better,” Petrone, a project development manager for CAP COM Federal Credit Union and a member of the Capital Region Advisory Board of the American Heart Association, said. “When I see overweight children, I am fearful about what life could become for them. I want to let everyone know that life could be so much better if you are healthy.”

Slocum, a partner in the Peak Residential Partners Team at Realty USA, recalled the surprise at learning that cardiovascular disease can affect young women – including her sister. “I had been talking to Brandi on New Year’s Eve, and around midnight, my mother called to say she was being taken to Albany Medical Center,” Slocum said. “She’d been on the computer, and ended up on the floor, and her speech was slurred. She still doesn’t have the use of her left arm.”

Petrone has been a member of the Capital Region Advisory Board of the American Heart Association for five years. She has worked closely with the BetterU program, a part of the Go Red for Women campaign that accepts 10 women into a 12-week heart-health improvement program.

“I want to make BetterU as well-known as Livestrong,” Petrone said. “This program has a strong impact on women in the Capital Region. I joined the American Heart Association as a young professional, and was focused on Jump Rope for Heart and childhood obesity. Over the years, I’ve recognized the stress of balancing a career and family, and I want to get the word out about how important good health is.”

“Women will put themselves last every single time,” Slocum said. “I see a lot of young women stressed out and not taking care of themselves. I want to raise awareness about how important it is to take care of yourself. There is a great professional community in the Capital Region and I would like the women in that to be advocates for taking care of themselves.”

Slocum sees the Go Red for Women Luncheon as a great place for women to learn how to take care of themselves.

“It’s more than a Luncheon,” she said. “It’s an expo that offers a lot of information, education, hands-on experiences, and networking.”

Petrone said the Go Red for Women Luncheon contains a great deal of emotion.

“The speakers captivate the audience,” she said. “They are motivational and inspirational.”

Both women work for organizations with a strong sense of commitment to the community. Petrone, a native of Rhinebeck, has been at CAP COM for six years, working previously in the community relations and PR departments.

Slocum is a licensed associate real estate broker with the Peak Residential Partners Team at Realty USA, a group of four women.

“We formed this to be able to contribute to our community. Part of our mission is to give back to the community that gives to us,” Slocum said. “We have a fund called The Giving Tree that we use if a customer is ill, or if their house has burned down.”

Petrone started her career at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“When I moved on, it was important to me to still be able to give back to the community,” Petrone said. “Everything we raise at CAP COM goes back to our shareholders. We are about helping the underserved get up on their feet. CAP COM staff also is active in the community. There are so many volunteer opportunities, I get to take action where my heart is pulled.”

Petrone, 33, is a UAlbany graduate who lives in Saratoga with her fiancé and her stepson. In addition to serving on the American Heart Association board, she is part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Blondes vs. Brunettes Flag Football fundraiser.

Slocum, 38, is from Amsterdam and is a College of Saint Rose graduate. She was the third employee hired at CommerceHub, where she worked for 8 years. She has been in real estate for more than 10 years. She is on the board of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and serves on the gala committee for the American Cancer Society. She is also the co-chare of Realtor Day Trade Show, among other activities. She and her boyfriend live in East Greenbush.

Both are clear about why people should attend the Go Red for Women Luncheon.

“Women should come so they can know their numbers – their blood pressure, their BMI and know what’s stressing you out and putting you at risk,” Petrone said. “Do most women know that? Probably not.”

“As women, we are our strongest advocates,” Slocum said. “Women should come to the Luncheon, get information, and learn.”

“This is the 12th year of the Go Red for Women campaign in the Capital
Region, and we have seen great growth,” said Kathy Lanni, chair of the Capital Region Advisory Board of the American Heart Association and chief community officer of SEFCU. “I know that Theresa and Leah, with their commitment to their communities and heart health, will make this year very successful. They will play a big role in changing the statistic that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in America.”

 

2 thoughts on “Petrone, Slocum to chair Go Red for Women Luncheon

  1. I attended the luncheon last year as a representative of St Peter’s Hospital nurses. I have been a cardiac critical care nurse for fifteen years and have seen such an increase in the number of women who are suffering from cardiac disease. It would be nice to have nursing representation at the luncheon. We are on the frontline, at the bedside for these patients at their most vulnerable time. There are many topics, and stories we could share. I would love to hear back and help in any way I can. Thank You

    • Hi, Maria,
      Thank you for commenting! Nurses are so important and wonderful. I am glad you were at the Luncheon. I will reach out soon to hear more from you! I apologize for the delay in responding.
      Kathy McCarthy
      518.626.8759

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