What better reason for a party than life? ‘Life is why’ is the philosophy of the American Heart Association, which hosts the 2016 St. Louis Heart Ball Feb. 27 at the Chase Park Plaza. The Ball is a celebration of the Association’s mission and work, its donors and volunteers, and—most important—the lives it has saved from heart disease. Last year, the Heart Balls, which is held in nearly 190 cities nationwide, raised $51 million to help fund more than $123 million in research and programs across the country. Heart disease kills more Americans than any other leading cause of death.
This year, the ball is chaired by Jim Weddle, managing partner at Edward Jones, and his wife Stacey. Weddle says personal experience with heart attack and stroke has made him a great supporter of the Heart Association. “My father, at 57, was in the prime of his life when he died of a heart attack. It had an enormous impact on me,” he says. Additionally, two colleagues in his office of 300 have suffered a stroke in the past year. Weddle notes that while his father was not as health conscious as people are today, his young colleagues are. “It can happen to anyone,” he says.
Thanks to the American Heart Association, however, people are more educated about the risks these days. “Smoking is a big threat to heart health,” says Jennifer Jaeger, executive director of the St. Louis chapter. “But it is the most preventable cause of premature death.” The benefits of exercise also have been widely broadcast. “We recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise. That isn’t much,” she says.
Jaeger adds that heart disease is on the cusp of being downgraded to No. 2 leading cause of death in the U.S, hopefully soon to fall below cancer. “It’s a strange thing to celebrate,” she says. “But it shows that the Heart Association has significantly raised the public’s awareness of the causes.” An example of this is ‘My Life Check,’ a simple list of seven preventive measures: manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, reduce blood sugar, get active, eat better, lose weight and stop smoking. To help employees stay heart healthy, Weddle says his office offers an annual screening that includes testing of cholesterol and blood sugar levels. To encourage participation, the company offers a reduction in health insurance costs. “We have helped people who didn’t know they had a problem,” Weddle says.
The Heart Ball is among the American Heart Association’s biggest fundraisers. “The atmosphere is amazing,” says Weddle. “All these wonderful, concerned, generous people coming together to support research and promote health—it really is a celebration of life.”
Pictured: Jim Weddle
Photo courtesy of the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association hosts the 2016 St. Louis Heart Ball Feb. 27 at the Chase Park Plaza. Pictured on the cover: St . Louis Heart Ball chairs Jim and Stacey Weddle. For more information, call 314.692.5617.
