Tri-county gala spreads heart health awareness

NILES, Ohio (WKBN) – The American Heart Association (AHA) is celebrating 100 years of saving lives and advancing heart health.

It all kicked off Thursday night with the annual Tri-County Heart Ball at the Eastwood Event Center in Niles.

The fundraising event supports cardiovascular research and education by bringing the community together to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke.

The showcase focused on how advocacy, discovery, knowledge and equity can change health outcomes in the Youngstown region.

One in four people will die of cardiovascular disease — some without ever knowing they have it.

“We do like to make it known that not only lifestyle choices could cause cardiovascular disease but, like you said, you may not know that you have it,” said Christine Dascenzo, Tri-County Heart Ball chair. “Could happen to anyone at any age, regardless of lifestyle. So knowing the signs and the symptoms is really what we like to do, and make sure people know when they’re at risk and how to act.”

Dascenzo said the AHA all started with four doctors getting together and deciding they needed to make improvements.

“We’ve gone from large pacemakers to implantable pacemakers. They’ve done research to come up with new prescription medications. It’s made life so much better but we have so much more to do,” she said.

The event also put a spotlight on survivors, sharing their stories, and of the importance of living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

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