Save the date: 11th Annual Heart Ball
For the past 11 years, the Heart Ball has brought together top business and philanthropic leaders for one goal: to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. This year, Sudhakar Shenoy, founder, chairman and CEO of IMC, Inc. will help carry on that tradition. Joined by more than 600 of the area’s most prominent physicians, corporate, healthcare and community leaders, Shenoy will kick off the Feb. 28 event with an appeal to raise funds for lifesaving research. “We are extremely honored to have Sudhakar Shenoy as the 2009 Heart Ball Chair,” says Gabrielle Urquhart, Executive Director of the American Heart Association Greater Washington Region. “He brings to the table a passion for the mission and also a commitment to excellence.” Shenoy recently spoke with us about his passion for AHA’s mission, and why this year’s Heart Ball is one you can’t miss.
Why is the Heart Ball so important?
Sudhakar Shenoy: Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number three killers of people in the United States. Heart disease kills more people annually than the next five deaths combined — these stats come straight from the American Heart Association. That’s a very shocking statistic. One of the main causes of heart disease is obesity, of course. In the Washington, DC area alone, 24 percent of District of Columbia residents are obese. Meanwhile, a full 31 percent of adult residents are on their way to obesity. This region also has one of the highest rates of uncontrolled hypertension and childhood obesity, — both key factors to heart disease. Heart disease doesn’t discriminate.
Can you share some highlights of the upcoming ball?
Sudhakar Shenoy: The Heart Ball is going to be a black tie celebration. We are hoping there will be 600 to 700 people from Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Many of these people are prominent corporate execs, philanthropists and healthcare and community leaders. We are going to have an inspirational evening of dinner, dancing, live entertainment and live and silent auctions. We will also be honoring survivors of heart attacks and strokes and hear their stories first hand.
What’s your goal with this year’s event?
Sudhakar Shenoy: First of all our goal is to raise $1.25 million to fund research and preventive measures spearheaded by The American Heart Association. Without the money raised by this event much of this research will have to go unfunded. That will have a profound impact on the future. Last year, the mid-Atlantic affiliate of the American Heart Association actually invested $11.5 million in 131 new research awards.
That’s amazing. So a lot is on the line.
Sudhakar Shenoy: Yes, that’s the good news that we are able to do so much. The bad news is that the needs are even larger than anything that we can fund. I’m hoping that my fellow business leaders will support the Heart Ball by partnering with us and attending this event. The Heart Ball provides many opportunities for businesses to positively impact the lives of so many people in the Greater Washington region.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Sudhakar Shenoy: Somebody once said, “It’s tiny drops of water that create a mighty ocean” — and I absolutely believe that to be the case. Little efforts like these can make all the difference in the world not just for people in the United States but all over the world. I’m really hoping to see other community leaders at our Feb. 28th event.
For sponsorship and ticket information, please contact the American Heart Association at 703-248-1745 or visit www.dcheartball.com.
Posted by Staff Writer
on Monday, January 12th, 2009. Filed under General.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
