Sabres, KeyBank team up for 'Women's Heart Healthy Workshop'

The Buffalo Sabres and KeyBank recently hosted a 'Women's Heart Healthy Workshop' at KeyBank Center, aiming to empower women to prioritize their heart health.

This initiative, part of the HocKey Assists program, featured keynote speakers, hands-on CPR training, and educational stations.

Anna Heerdt, associate marketing communications manager for the American Heart Association, shared her personal connection to the cause.

Her mother, a heart transplant survivor, faced significant challenges in obtaining a proper diagnosis.

Heerdt emphasized the critical need for women to advocate for their health and recognize potential heart issues.

The workshop's focus on women's heart health resonates deeply within the Sabres community.

Owner Kim Pegula experienced a cardiac arrest in 2022, with her daughter administering life-saving CPR.

Additionally, Carolina Matovac, fiancée of Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin, underwent heart failure and is recovering from a heart transplant.

The event featured speakers like Rosalind Burgin, a triple bypass survivor, and Melissa Archer, a psychiatric nurse practitioner who performed CPR on her husband.

Both highlighted the importance of immediate response and awareness.

Notably, the workshop addressed the disproportionate impact of heart disease on Black women.

According to the American Heart Association, 59.5% of non-Hispanic Black females aged 20 and over had cardiovascular disease between 2021 and 2023.

KeyBank's corporate responsibilities officer, Chiwuike Owunwanne, stressed the importance of reaching those most affected to provide essential education and resources.

Attendees were encouraged to 'know their numbers'—total cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and body mass index—to assess their risk for cardiovascular disease.

Symptoms of a heart attack can include chest pain, arm or jaw pain, shortness of breath, and nausea.

However, heart disease can also present as respiratory issues, leading some to mistake it for the flu or COVID-19.

Shannon Cercone, Development Director for the American Heart Association, highlighted the tendency of women to downplay symptoms due to their multiple roles.

She urged women to prioritize their health and seek medical attention when necessary.

In addition to educational sessions, the workshop included hands-on CPR training with female mannequins, equipping attendees with life-saving skills.

Heerdt emphasized the importance of self-advocacy and paying attention to bodily changes, encouraging women to find trusted healthcare providers.

The 'Women's Heart Healthy Workshop' underscores the Sabres and KeyBank's commitment to community health, particularly focusing on women's heart health in Buffalo, NY.