2024 Heart Ball to celebrate 100 years of American Heart Association

Stephanie Hudson
·2 min read

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — This year the American Heart Association celebrates a century of saving, improving and extending lives and, as such, this year’s 2024 Hampton Roads Heart Ball will be a birthday bash.

CPR awareness is the focus of this years Heart Ball. Ashford Denman, co-chairman of the Heart Ball and Sentara’s system vice president, cardiovascular service lines, said its the goal of the American Heart Association for every family in America to have at least one person trained.

“We want to train, you know, that 12-year-old who’s going to be with grandma all this weekend,” Denman said. “We want to train that mother who’s got kids under the age of 10. We want to train everybody.”

CPR can double or triple the chance of survival from a heart attack.

Cathie Vick, Heart Ball co-chairwoman and chief development and pubic affairs officer with the Port of Virginia, said that’s why CPR training is offered to all of its employees, including its sworn police force.

“Just this year, one of those officers saved the life of one of our international longshoremen by having that quick response time, having been trained and hands on CPR,” Vick said.

CPR training is one tool the AHA offers in the community.

Recently, the AHA also supplied blood pressure cuffs to local dulas for pregnant women who need to be monitored.

There is a lot more AHA contributes, however, that most of us don’t see.

“AHA is behind a lot of scientific innovation, advancements in the community and the way that we practice and deliver cardiac care in our hospitals,” Denman said.

The Heart Ball and Heart of Hampton Roads is now in its 35th year. On May 17, they hope to raise $100,000 to celebrate 100 years of the AHA.

“Because the next hundred years is going to be about how are we going to change the way that heart disease is not the number one killer,” Denman said.

If you want to attend the Heart Ball get your tickets here, and quickly. The last day to purchase them is Friday May 7. The Heart Ball is happening Friday, May 17 at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort.

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