A Message from Our Board Chairman

 

I believe in the mission of the American Heart Association. They have been working since the 1940s to end heart disease and stroke – leading killers in our nation. It’s an uphill battle – one-third of American kids are overweight or obese, fewer than 1% of them eat enough fruits and vegetables and for the first time ever, today’s kids aren’t expected to live as long as their parents.

In Des Moines, we’ve been holding a Heart Ball for twenty years and in that time, the American Heart Association has used funds raised at this black-tie event to back life-saving research into physical inactivity, the effects of cigarette smoke, how to best perform CPR, and developing technologies that enable faster and more efficient diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and strokes.

We will continue that tradition and work to reverse the disturbing health trends of today’s kids. On February 16, 2013, we will celebrate the Heart Ball and all the accomplishments of the past twenty years at the Embassy Suites. Our focus for the evening will be to carry the momentum through the next twenty years, by making a difference in how our children live. Funds raised at this years “Open your Heart” will be used to place Teaching Gardens in Des Moines-area elementary schools.

Warm regards,

C Edward Brown
Chief Executive Officer
The Iowa Clinic