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Thursday's Internet Edition, March 11, 2010.
River Valley fights heart disease in women
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Photo by Sheri Barile
Karen Stawicki (left) meets in her Rancho Murieta home with Wilton resident Tina Bobo to discuss the upcoming Little Red Dress Event on Feb. 25 that Stawicki is organizing for the American Heart Association. Stawicki serves as chairperson for the event.
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By Sheri Barile
River Valley Times Reporter
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February is American Heart Month, and River Valley women (along with some men) are taking notice and doing their part to support Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association’s nationwide movement to unite women in the fight against heart disease.
Rancho Murieta resident and businesswoman Karen Stawicki became involved in the organization last spring. She currently serves on the executive committee of Go Red for Women. Each year in February they organize a fundraiser called A Circle of Red, which targets elite and influential women for participation.
Stawicki agreed to chair this year’s event, to be held Feb. 25 at the Arden Hills Country Club in Sacramento. She is taking the evening to a whole new level by assigning the fundraiser a theme and naming it The Little Red Dress Event.
There will be a dinner and fashion show with Jennifer Smith of Channel 10 as the emcee. Several ensembles from premier area boutiques will be featured. The showstopper is an original red dress designed and donated by a New York designer, which will be auctioned off at the end of the evening.
According to Stawicki, one goal of this new theme is to elevate the red dress from Go Red for Women to the iconic status of the pink scarf that symbolizes the fight to cure breast cancer. “They did an amazing job of branding their cause with that little pink scarf,” Stawicki said. “We want to create that same recognition for the red dress to raise awareness of heart disease in women.”
Wilton resident Tina Bobo’s awareness was raised very suddenly in 1996 when she was an active 26-year-old mother of two young children. She suffered cardiac arrest in a hospital emergency room after being given medication to alleviate a severe migraine,
and she required resuscitation.
Testing revealed that Bobo had sudden arrhythmia death syndrome, a genetic heart condition of which she was unaware. Today, she lives to tell her story and will do so at the Little Red Dress Event. “If it hadn’t been for the AED paddles that saved my life, I would not be here today,” Bobo said. “I am forever grateful to the American Heart Association for funding the research that developed this technology.”
In addition to Bobo, other speakers at the event will include Dr. Maxine Barish-Werden, an internist at Sutter Vascular, and Nyna Nelson, a practitioner in the field of bio-identical hormone replacement. Both will bring a wealth of knowledge about heart disease in women, according to Stawicki. “Heart disease and stroke are the number one and number three killers of women over the age of 25,” Stawicki said. “A woman dies every minute of the day somewhere in this country due to complications related to heart disease. It’s so important to raise awareness so we can reduce disability and death due to heart disease and stroke.”
Stawicki said others in the River Valley are getting involved with the Little Red Dress Event. One is RM resident Tammy O’Brien, who will model in the fashion show. “I would never normally get up and model, but I have a vested interest in this cause,” O’Brien said. “Tina (Bobo) is my sister-in-law, so I lived through her ordeal. Since that time, I’ve had several friends who have lost loved ones to heart disease.”
Local youth will be pitching in as well. Bobo’s son Austin and RM resident Mitchell Abess, both sophomores in high school, will sell raffle tickets for prizes including gift certificates from area restaurants and boutiques.
Bobo pointed out that both boys have been touched by heart disease. “My kids have a 50-50 chance of inheriting my heart condition,” she said. “That’s one reason why we want to be involved in this cause.”
In addition to the red dress, auction prizes will include a limo for eight to Amador wine country for two private tastings and lunch donated by David Sobon. Also offered will be a prize donated by Greg Stawicki consisting of a day of large bass fishing for two with an experienced guide on one of the private lakes in RM.
Residents Craig and Diane Sheehy are showing their support through their corporate sponsorship of a luncheon being held on April 30 at the Hyatt Regency.
Stawicki expressed pride in the River Valley community for its willingness to get involved to raise awareness about heart disease in women, and she’s hoping for even more participation. “There are so many ways to participate,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be a large financial contribution. Whether it is volunteering or organizing events, or simply telling your story – it’s all very important to the cause.”
Tickets for the Little Red Dress Event are $85 per person and $150 per couple at www.littlereddressevent.eventbrite.com.
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