Top AHA Volunteers Reunite to Fund Lifesaving Research

On Saturday, May 2nd, over 500 people are expected to gather at the Annual Boston Heart Ball, the organization’s premier social event to celebrate the achievements of local physicians, philanthropists and volunteers all with a common goal of raising funds to support the American Heart Association’s mission of creating more lives free of heart disease and stroke.

Screen Shot 2015-04-15 at 6.20.42 PMThis year’s event co-chairs, Gerald R. Marx, MD of Boston Children’s Hospital and Keith Jansen, President & CEO of Vascular Insights, LLC., are familiar faces in the organization’s mission to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke. Marx and Jansen previously co-led the American Heart Association’s Boston Board of Directors from 2003-2005 and are reuniting to bring their combined passion and dedication to the fight against heart disease and stroke to the organization’s premier social event.

“We are so pleased to have Dr. Marx and Mr. Jansen reuniting as volunteer leaders for the American Heart Association here in Boston by serving as this year’s Heart Ball Co-Chairs,” said Lauren Ritchie, Senior Director of the Boston Heart Ball. “They have been a powerful duo in motivating the medical and business communities to support our mission and we know will once again be instrumental in the success of this year’s event.”

A Dover resident, Dr. Marx trained in Pediatrics and Pediatric Cardiology at Children’s Hospital Boston. After his training, he joined the faculty at the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, followed by the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson, and then Tufts University of School of Medicine before returning to Harvard and Boston Children’s Hospital in 1998. Dr. Marx has been a tireless volunteer for the American Heart Association both at the national level and local affiliate, serving on numerous committees and boards.

Jansen, who resides in Pembroke, MA, has spent over 25 years in the medical device industry, much of which has been focused on vascular disease. He received his undergraduate degree from Bucknell University and a Graduate Diploma from Boston University. Jansen became involved with the American Heart Association over 10 years ago with the team his company organized.

This year’s event, which raises funds to support the organization’s mission to help people enjoy more of life’s precious moments by living a longer, healthier life free of heart diseases and stroke, will feature a theme from the classic board game, Life.  The celebration includes an inspirational evening of dinner, dancing, live entertainment and a live auction. SharkNinja is the legacy sponsor of the Heart Ball and Philips and the Cardiovascular Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are the event’s Heart Champions. Boston Magazine is the event’s media sponsor. For more information, visit http://bostonheartball.ahaevents.org.

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