Retired LA Kings player Daryl Evans and heart surgeon Dr. Kathy Magliato honored with the King and Queen of Hearts Awards
Guests included hockey hall of famer Bob Miller, health and environmental activist Kelly Meyer and Filipino-American actresses Nia Peeples (photo above with Brandon Paul) and Rebecca Mader.
The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Los Angeles Go Red For Women Luncheon raised $351,491 and drew close to 350 people to The Globe Theatre at Universal Studios Hollywood on May 7, 2015.
The garden-themed affair, presented by sponsors Macy’s, Union Bank and Huntington Hospital, celebrated the American Heart Association’s thriving Teaching Gardens in Los Angeles. Special guest and Teaching Gardens co-founder Kelly Meyer shared with guests how the program is providing inner-city children a real-life laboratory where they learn to plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and understand the value of good eating habits.
NBC4 Southern California’s evening news anchor Colleen Williams was the Master of Ceremony, and two exceptional individuals were honored for their contributions to the fight against heart disease and stroke.
The Queen of Hearts Award was presented to cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Kathy Magliato in honor of her remarkable accomplishments in the field of medicine, her lifesaving work and outstanding service to the American Heart Association. Magliato is one of very few female cardiothoracic surgeons in the world. She is the Director of Women’s Cardiac Services at Saint John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica. A longtime AHA volunteer, Magliato was past president of the association’s Greater Los Angeles Division Board of Directors.
Hockey Hall of Famer Bob Miller helped pay tribute to LA Kings radio commentator and retired hockey player Daryl Evans who received the King of Hearts Award in recognition of his commitment to advancing women’s heart health in Los Angeles. Evans, whose mother is a heart disease survivor, has been an AHA volunteer for several years and currently serves on the Greater Los Angeles Board of Directors. Evans spearheads the LA Kings charitable giving program that has benefited the American Heart Association for many years.
Mother, wife and busy talent agent Sheila Wenzel shared the story of how Go Red For Women saved her life. Wenzel nearly died of a heart attack, but knew the symptoms and got help, thanks to the short film actress Elizabeth Banks created for Go Red For Women called “Just a Little Heart Attack,” which she saw at an event two months earlier. She urged luncheon guests to take charge of their health and use their voice to raise awareness of heart disease.
Terri Hernandez Rosales, Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs for NBC4 Southern California, chaired this year’s luncheon along with an executive leadership team made up of women representing a wide range of industries.
Heart disease and stroke cause one in three deaths among women and they are deadlier than all forms of cancer combined, yet only one in five American women believes that cardiovascular disease is her greatest health threat. The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement provides women with tools and resources they need to live longer, stronger, healthier lives.
Funds raised at the luncheon support the American Heart Association’s lifesaving work, including funding innovative scientific research, bringing health education programs to children and adults in the community, setting science-based best practices for treating heart disease and stroke and advocating for policies that positively impact cardiovascular health.
The Los Angeles Go Red For Women Luncheon was sponsored nationally by Macy’s and locally presented by Union Bank and Huntington Hospital. Additional sponsors included LA Galaxy and Ralph’s/Food4Less. The media sponsors were NBC4 Southern California, Pasadena Magazine, Playa Vista Today and Wiles Magazine.
For more information, visit www.lagored.ahaevents.org.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.