A Message from our Chair

Dear friends of Heart,

I am honored to serve as the chair of the 2016 First Coast Heart Ball Executive Leadership Team and to support the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association (AHA). Heart Ball is the culmination of a year-long fundraising effort in our region that generates over half a million dollars for the mission of the AHA – building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

The message of the First Coast Heart Ball calls attention to children’s heart health and the childhood obesity epidemic. Today, nearly one in three American children under eighteen are overweight or obese, and this widespread issue is considered one of our nation’s leading health threats. It is imperative that we create a future where children have access to nutritious food and safe play areas, as well as prevention programs that encourage activity and healthy living.

Through Heart Ball, we also share the message of those born with congenital heart defects (CHDs) and the need for continued research that will save the lives of future generations. At least nine of every 1,000 infants born each year have a heart defect. The dollars raised through the gala help fund highly meritorious research projects, many of which produce lifesaving procedures and technologies for CHD patients.

I ask you to join me in our fundraising efforts and to champion the mission of the American Heart Association. Together, we can fight America’s #1 killer and celebrate the lives of those saved.

Sincerely,
Jim O’Loughlin
Memorial Hospital
2016 First Coast Heart Ball Chair