More than 260 Lancaster County business and community leaders attended the 35th annual Lancaster Heart Ball on Feb. 1 at the Lancaster Country Club. The event raised more than $220,000 to support the American Heart Association, a nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all.
Austin and Addie Moran of Mount Joy shared the story of welcoming their daughter Shiloh into the world in August 2019. Two days after Shiloh was born, as Austin and Addie were getting ready to take her home from the hospital, they learned that doctors had discovered she had four congenital heart defects. Shiloh battled a staph infection before being able to undergo lifesaving open heart surgery to correct her heart defects. She continues to be monitored closely and will return for a stent placement procedure due to a re-narrowing of her aorta, but the Morans said they are hopeful and are enjoying seeing Shiloh grow into a healthy baby.
Children born with critical congenital heart defects like Shiloh's have a much greater chance to enjoy a long and healthy life than they could only a few decades ago thanks to the advanced detection and surgical interventions available today, according to the American Heart Association. The American Heart Association has funded more than $3.8 billion in heart disease and stroke research, including research that led to the development of stents.
Other highlights of the evening included a performance by American Music Theatre to welcome guests and set the "Heart of the Forest" theme, the Keep the Beat Dance Hour featuring songs that are the correct tempo for performing Hands-Only CPR, a heart-healthy dinner, silent and live auctions, and musical entertainment by The Uptown Band.
Diane Murry and Bill Coder presented the second Kim McNabb and Glenn L. Myers Friend of Heart Award to Jim and Laurie Martin and Andrea McCormick and Michael Smith of American Music Theatre in honor of their commitment to providing entertainment and design services to the Lancaster Heart Ball since 1985. The award was named after longtime Heart Ball committee member and American Heart Association volunteer Kim McNabb, who passed away of a heart-related illness in 2018.
Funds raised will support the American Heart Association's mission to strive for longer, healthier lives through community education, public policy advocacy, health care quality improvement and investment in lifesaving research.
Barry Mitchneck, director of nursing for UPMC Pinnacle, served as the event chair. For information about sponsoring or attending the 2021 Lancaster Heart Ball, set for Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, readers may contact Ashley Schade at ashley.schade@heart.org.
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