Heart Association Recognizes Arlington Heights Woman's Volunteerism

The American Heart Association recently honored volunteers, including an Arlington Heights woman, at a recognition event. More than 125 volunteers and their families attended the annual event, according to a news release from the AHA.

Sylvia Meléndez Klinger, a member of the American Heart Association Metro Chicago Board of Directors and owner of Hispanic Communications Inc., thanked the guests for their continued support of the organization.

Ten  volunteers - including Barb Stensland of Arlington Heights - who made significant contributions over the past year to help further the organization’s mission to build healthier lives free of heart disease and stroke received awards. The recipients were:

• Barb Stensland - Go Red For Women Champion Award

Stensland, a heart survivor, has been sharing her personal story as part of the Go Red for Women campaign. She continues to educate women everywhere about the impact heart disease has on women and strives to inspire them with the message that heart disease is treatable and beatable.

• Mary D’Anza - My Heart. My Life. Champion Award

D’Anza, a dietitian at Westlake Community Hospital, supported several community initiatives focused on healthy eating and living, including being a member of the Teaching Garden Committee at Emerson Elementary school in Maywood and School District 89’s wellness team.

• Dr. Liz Florez - Multicultural Health Initiatives Champion Award

Dr. Florez, who serves as the American Heart Association liaison to the Illinois Hispanic Nurses Association, motivedher colleagues to become more involved in community public health events with a special focus on lowering risk of cardiovascular disease in Latinos. Dr. Florez will be the new 2014 Chair of the Go Red For Women Ambassador Committee.

• Joe Goldzweig - You’re the Cure Advocacy Champion Award

Goldzweig played a central role in working to help enact the recently-signed Illinois Pulse Oximetry law. The new law will require all Illinois hospitals and birthing centers to perform the pulse oximetry test to better help detect congenital heart defects in newborns.

• Joe Mazurkiewicz – Revenue Champion Award

Mazurkiewicz, a longtime supporter, helped the 2013 Heart Ball break fundraising records resulting in the highest grossing Heart Ball ever.  .

• Chris Mistrata – Youth Market Champion Award

Mistrata, a physical educator in the Woodland School District in Gurnee, has worked in the Intermediate, Elementary, and Primary Schools as part of a talented team of PE teachers dedicated to the American Heart Association’s mission and youth programs, particularly Jump Rope for Heart.

• Sakthi Sadayappan and Kyle Henderson – Research Champion Award

Sakthi Sadayappan of Loyola University Medical Center and Kyle Henderson from Midwestern University created the first Metro Chicago Research Network Symposium that garnered more than 165 attendees. 

• Zuri Thompson - Starburst Champion Award.

Thompson, a member of the American Heart Association Multicultural Leadership Committee, created the Pearly Peas healthy cooking and eating program that was instrumental to the success of the Heart 360 – Get to Goal high blood pressure program.

• Herminia Vanna -  Multicultural Health Initiatives Champion Award

Vanna, a member of both the Multicultural Leadership Committee and the Go Red for Women Ambassador Committee, is a true believer in the Go Red for Women campaign and has worked tirelessly to help the organization build stronger relationships with Latino partners throughout Chicago.