Gratefully, I Go Red to Save Lives!

The first week of Project Purpose 2010, a 90 day program I am participating in, is coming to an end and I just opened an email referring to it as Hearts of Purpose. That name really resonates with me this evening as I just returned home from having the honor of speaking to the 96 beautiful sorority sisters of Alpha Phi, and their families and friends, at the Go Red Gala that this sorority puts on each year. It was a beautiful evening at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA.

The photo above shows the four Go Red for Women Ambassadors that spoke this evening and our friend from the American Heart Association, in the center, that introduced us. They are from the left: Kara Moore, Nadine Kelley, Connie Hara, Tina Blackett and Dyann Lyon. Each of us has a powerful and compelling Go Red story of survival to share and we are all passionate about sharing our story with people, groups and businesses that invite us to speak. 

The Go Red program is a program of the American Heart Association. I learned about it when I approached Connie Hara in the summer of 2009 to see if I could get some material from the Heart Association to use as handouts at offices I wished to speak in. I had the idea of sharing my story along with the warning signs of heart disease and how to prevent this largely preventable disease. Connie said that was a perfect Go Red for Women project and that there was no one leading Go Red in Tacoma. Would I be interested in leading it? I must admit that I balked at the idea in the beginning as I didn't want to limit these talks to women and my story is definitely a story for men too. Well, after talking more with Connie I really got the impact of heart disease being the number one killer of women, more than the next five diseases all added together! After several meetings with other women in the community, that have their own stories of survival to share, the Go Red for Women Ambassador program in Tacoma and Pierce County was off and running.

The photo to the left is of the six Go Red for Women Ambassadors and our friend, Connie, of the American Heart Association who all gave up their Saturday night to be able to speak to the ladies of Alpha Phi and their family and friends. They are from the left: .Victoria Doyle, Mary Harrison, Kara Moore, Connie Hara, Nadine Kelley, Dyann Lyon and Tina Blackett. We have other Go Red for Women Ambassadors and we are always looking for more. Whenever we have an opportunity to speak we accept the engagement. We then notify the group to see who is available to speak for that event. Each one of us has a different story to share and we always leave an impact on our audiences. 

There is so much I am grateful for in this story. First of all I am grateful for the nearly twenty wonderful years I had with my husband, Lee Oberbeck, who died suddenly of a heart attack at 50 years young. I am grateful to have met Connie Hara and for her passion and commitment to help get a Go Red program off the ground in Tacoma. I am grateful for the passionate women who have stepped forward to share their Go Red message, on their own time, to help save lives. These women have become special friends and I am grateful to each of them for the wonderful passionate hearts they share with others. I am especially grateful for my amazing and dear husband, Wild Bill Jones, and his passion and compassion in joining me on my quest to serve. He was the one that took pictures all night and helped each of us on and off the stage. Wild is our Go Red Mascot. Here he is with two beautiful women, Lindsay Ingaldson and Laura McQuay, Red Dress Gala Chairwomen, Gamma Zeta of Alpha Phi. These two did a wonderful job of putting on the Red Dress Gala 2010. Great job ladies!

With love and gratitude,

Dyann