Ephraim McDowell Health Care Foundation announces that the Happy Heart Day event held in February raised $10,276. All proceeds will be used to directly benefit projects currently serving communities in the Ephraim McDowell Health service area.
“We are very grateful to our donors and everyone who attended Happy Heart Day for making it the success that it was,” said Laura Richard, executive director of the Foundation. “In years past, the Foundation has provided resources for cardiology, cancer, newborn care, and infection reduction, among others. The success of Happy Heart Day will allow us to continue funding programs to improve our community’s access to health care.”
Happy Heart Day is dedicated to raising awareness about heart health and promoting well-being across the community. At this year’s event, attendees were able to attend informational sessions presented by Dr. Brian Ellis, a family medicine physician practicing at Danville Family Physicians; Dr. Jessica Byrd, a clinical social worker at Ephraim McDowell Behavioral Health; Beth Alvey, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, who provides weight loss management at Ephraim McDowell Bariatric Center; Dr. Gbolahan Ogunbayo, an interventional cardiologist at Ephraim McDowell Heart & Vascular Institute; Dr. Klark Turpen, a sleep medicine physician practicing at Ephraim McDowell Sleep Medicine; Dr. Tin Tran, bariatric and general surgeon who practices at Ephraim McDowell Bariatric Center; Dr. Jason Bowman, critical care medicine physician practicing at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center; and Janet Fluty, licensed dietitian/nutritionist at McDowell Wellness Center.
During a luncheon that was part of Happy Heart Day, the keynote speaker was Dr. Lynne W. Lynn, administrator at Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan Hospital and Ephraim McDowell James B. Haggin Hospital and vice president of Ephraim McDowell Commonwealth Cancer Center. She shared about recently experiencing a heart attack. Also speaking during the luncheon was Mallory Jones, Miss Kentucky Teen, who shared about heart issues she has experienced and provided details about her platform on heart health.
The Happy Heart Day luncheon also provided the forum for the Foundation to award life-saving AEDs (automated external defibrillators) to area agencies. The Foundation received 32 applications for the devices, which were awarded to the Boyle County Public Library, Springfield/Washington County E-911, Journey Community Church in Lincoln County, Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, Camp Dick Fire and Rescue and Liberty-Casey County Rescue Squad.
Major donors who were instrumental in the success of Happy Heart Day were Farmers National Bank, Danville Office Equipment, Wealth South, Kentucky Trust Co., Trim Masters Charitable Foundation, Inc., Messer, Community Trust Bank, Northwestern Mutual and UK HealthCare.