I’m bombarded with requests to help, support or give to worthy (and sometimes possibly not so worthy) causes.  You probably are, too.  Sometimes it seems that I get numb to them because there are so many that are worthy and not enough of me to say YES to all of them. 
 
I’ll also admit that, as I am part of the YES community, I have a natural bias toward YES events because I know they are intentional in terms of making a real difference.  I also know that there is no big overhead that needs to be paid for.  So my involvement and my money really do have maximum impact. 
 
If the upcoming YES event, “A Women’s Heart” was simply a social event to raise money for Stroke Rehabilitation through UT Southwestern, it would be well worth attending.  But we also get to learn by hearing Dr. Courtney Baker’s personal story about her strokes as well as her business journey.  Her story will help each of us as individuals in addition to those stroke victims we are serving.
 
One last thought, “A Woman’s Heart” is not just for women.  We of course want to raise awareness that women are more at risk for cardiovascular and stroke-related problems than is generally understood.  I also believe we men want to support the women in our lives, women as a whole and to increase our own awareness because we have these health challenges, too.
 
And we all just might pick up a few nuggets of wisdom that will help our businesses!  I’d call this a trifecta except that there is no betting involved.  It’s a real 3 for 1 ROI.  Please encourage those in your circle of influence to come as well.  It’s the heart of the matter!
 

It’s tough balancing the very servant centric role as business owners with the task of taking care of ourselves.
And yet; failure to take care of ourselves puts not only us at risk, but the very people who depend on us daily.  A Woman’s Heart was launched by YES early in our history to raise awareness of the importance of cardiovascular health for our owners.

And then as so often is the case; life happens and I got busy.

I was about to get a HUGE wake up call.
 
I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I found out my dear friend Daniela Finch had not survived the massive stroke she suffered just 48 hours prior.  Because my marathon running, uber-successful 48 year old friend couldn’t die of a stroke…it just didn’t compute.

It was clear; it was time to re-launch A Woman’s Heart.

The proceeds of the event will be earmarked to help pay for stroke rehabilitation at UTSW for a deserving recipient.
I know Daniela would have liked that…
 
YES is honored to share Dr. Cortney Baker’s incredible story of stroke survivor, business legend, and servant heart on May 3rd.

You will not want to miss her inspiring story; and how her mission is touching other business owners.
Better yet; make it a girls night out with the people you hold precious.

Daniela would have liked that too….

By Amanda Beasley

​Over four years ago, my father survived a heart attack. Thanks to his coworkers who sprung into action to get him the help he needed and a great medical team, he was home and recovering in two days. He was lucky, and my family and I are blessed to still have him today, healthier than ever.
 
Like many of you, my family has a history of heart disease on both sides. I, myself, was diagnosed with hypertension at 42. Seeing two of your grandparents suffer severe strokes that completely changed their lives and having an uncle pass away from a fatal heart attack at 44 (my current age), gives one a heightened awareness of the importance of heart health.
 
My best friend had deep vein thrombosis at 38, which lead to a pulmonary embolism. She survived thanks to a nurse who was carefully monitoring her. I’m so happy to still have her here. I have had two other friends (ages 31 and 46) who didn’t have or heed the warning signs, and lost their lives due to similar blood clots.
 
At A Woman’s Heart, you will hear from Dr. Cortney Baker, who suffered two strokes before she was 38. It’s not just men in their sixties, like my father, who have heart problems. Heart health is a concern for all of us.
 
I don’t say all of these things to scare anyone. I say this for awareness. Lifestyle, diet and genetics all play a role. For women, the signs of heart disease often appear as other issues. We have to know more, so that we can protect one another. The most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones is being aware of the signs of heart and circulatory issues. Events like A Woman’s Heart that support the work of UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Stroke Rehabilitation Program are key to the awareness that will help us all survive and thrive no matter the health issues that may come our way.