Westlake schools raise dollars for American Heart Association
In addition to raising dollars, Westlake Schools have provided valuable heart health education to more than 20,000 students through participation. Over the past 10 years Westlake has raised:
- Bassett Elementary – $79,383.02 (current event Coordinator Simon O’Doghtery)
- Dover Elementary – $67,328.60 (Coordinator Linda McLean)
- Hilliard Elementary – $59,449.61 (Coordinator Tom Urich)
- Holly Lane Elementary – $26,007.58 (Coordinator Nick Miller)
- Lee Burneson Middle – $36,274.86 (Coordinator Sally Falatach)
- Parkside Intermediate – $40,675.97 (Coordinator Cynthia Bailey)
To put this into perspective, $25,000 can fund a one-year pre-doctoral fellowship to help a medical student begin a career in heart or stroke research.
Just in Ohio, the AHA is providing about $25 million in funding to universities and research facilities to combat heart disease, the number one killer in this country, and stroke, the third leading cause of death. According to the AHA, one person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Nine of every 1,000 infants born each year have a heart defect. About 650,000 to 1.3 million Americans with cardiovascular defects are alive today. Through research, at least 35 defects have been identified.
Kim Bonvissuto is the Communications Coordinator for Westlake City Schools.