The 42nd Annual Miami Heart & Stroke Ball

On March 6th, the American Heart Association hosted the 42nd Annual Miami Heart and Stroke Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Brickell Key. This prestigious charity event celebrated the American Heart Association's success and widespread impact within our community. The theme of the night was “Life’s Lasting Love.” Miami's most influential leaders and celebrities gathered to support this wonderful cause while honoring award recipients and notable donors. The gala began with an amazing cocktail hour where guests participated in a silent auction as well as a live auction.

After the reception, guests headed into the ballroom to honor the award recipients of the night. Here are some of the awards that were presented during the gala: Big Heart in Arts to Dennis Scholl of The Knight Foundation; Big Heart in Goodwill to Dr. Sanford L. Ziff, Founder, Sunglass Hut of America; Big Heart- Go Red For Women to Loren Ridinger of Market America; Cor Vitae Awards for Heart Disease and Stroke, Heart to Dr. Barry Katzen of Baptist Cardiac and Vascular Institute. These outstanding individuals help make a difference in the fight against heart disease within their respective fields. Congratulations to all of the 2010 award recipients!

Latin Pop Artist Paulina Rubio (pictured above with award recipient, Loren Ridinger, of Market America) attended this year’s Ball along with her husband, Nicolas Colate Vallejo-Najera. In 2009, the American Heart Association recognized Paulina with a Big Heart Humanitarian Award in Music.

Joey Natoli along with his father, Joe Natoli, Chairman of the 42nd Annual Heart and Stroke Ball. Joe Natoli also serves as the Senior Vice President for Business & Finance and Chief Financial Officer at the University of Miami. GO CANES!

Ronald Gup, Dr. Linda J. Kaplan and Dr. Sanford L. Ziff. In 1994, Sunglass Hut founder, Dr. Sanford L. Ziff, provided a gift to the Graduate Career Services Center at the University of Miami's School of Business Administration. The building now bears his name.
Left: Joanna Palmer & Maria Hunt. Right: John Agnetti & Lucy Morillo

Left: Master of Ceremonies for the gala, Erika Von Tiehl, CBS4 News Anchor along with yours truly!

The very beautiful: Raquel Perera, Loren Ridinger and Paulina Rubio. These women were so sweet and kind. I can see why they support such a great organization. Overall, it was a wonderful night in Miami to celebrate the accomplishments of the American Heart Association. To find more information about this organization, visit www.americanheart.org/. Cheers to a healthy heart and lifestyle!

Today is National Wear Red Day: GO RED!

Today, February 5th, is National Wear Red Day! Everyday women are dying at the rate of almost one per minute. Speak up. Make a difference. Show your support for the fight against heart disease in women by wearing red today. Heart disease is the #1 killer in America and most women don't realize that it is preventable! Wear red to work, to the mall and to the party you're attending tonight! You can also encourage the men in your life to help spread awareness by wearing a red tie. Heart disease can be triggered at any age so it is important to visit your doctor even if you're young. To learn how to live a proactive lifestyle or for more information on the Go Red For Women campaign, please visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/. Stay healthy and become aware: GO RED!

This past October, we met Maria Celeste, Host of "Al Rojo Vivo," during the Red Dress Fashion Show in Miami. Maria is a big supporter of Go Red For Women and she was truly inspiring that night. Help make a difference and wear red today.

Go Red for Women

Last month, I attended the American Heart Association's Red Dress Fashion Show at the Setai Hotel on South Beach. It made me realize that heart disease is a serious problem in our community. Research shows that 80 percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women make the right choices for their hearts. Therefore, I just became a member of the Go Red for Women campaign which celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to combat this disease. By participating in this movement you'll receive a monthly e-newsletter filled with heart-healthy tips, invitations to events, as well as access to special programs! It's free and easy so renew your lifestyle today. Maria Celeste from Telemundo's "Al Rojo Vivo" is already a member so she was pretty inspiring to me! For more information about heart disease visit http://www.americanheart.org/. You can register for free at http://www.goredforwomen.org/Registration.aspx.