A Message from Our Chair
Dear Friends,
I am truly honored to serve as the chair for the 25th Annual Gainesville Heart Ball. My family has long been involved with this outstanding organization and we appreciate the opportunity to give back to our community and help the American Heart Association fulfill their mission “to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.”
Our local American Heart Association (AHA) positively affects the Gainesville community in ways many of us overlook each day. AHA is present on every athletic field equipped with a life-saving automated external defibrillator. AHA is present in each restaurant where you are able to breathe clean, smoke-free air. AHA is present in every hospital where doctors are able to save countless lives with technology developed from research funded by the AHA. You can see the effect of your donor dollars everywhere. In 2009, over $1.5M was returned to the Gainesville community for research in cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
This year we are honoring Dr. C. Richard Conti: professor, mentor, doctor, researcher and my father. Dr. Conti received his medical and cardiology training on the Osler Medical Service of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 1974, he became Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Cardiovascular Division at the University of Florida. Dr. Conti has received numerous national and international honors including an Honorary Fellowship from the College of Medicine of South Africa; a “Docteur Honoris Causa” from the University of Marseilles; selection for the Gifted Teacher Award by the American College of Cardiology in 2002; recognition as International Educator of the Year in 2008, College of Medicine, Senior Faculty Award; and he received the Italian Society of Cardiology “Distinguished Mentor and Scientist Award” in 2009. Dr. Conti is the author or co-author of over 700 scientific papers, book chapters and abstracts, has edited six books and written two. He is without a doubt a man worthy of this honor and as his daughter, and colleague, it is my great honor to have the opportunity to play an important role in doing so.
In addition to his lifetime devotion to the study and treatment of cardiovascular disease, he had his own recent experience with heart disease. This made our family and friends understand first-hand the importance of an organization like the American Heart Association. Everyday our loved one’s lives are changed and too often lost to this devastating disease.
So mark your calendar for Saturday, February 12, 2011 and join us for “A Trip Around the World” at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center for the 2011 Heart Ball. This promises to be an unforgettable evening filled with exciting entertainment, auctions, and great food. Most of all, this is a time to gather your friends together and celebrate the wonderful strides we are taking to make our community a heart-healthy place to live.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Jamie Beth Conti, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
Palm Beach Heart Association Eminent Scholar
Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
University of Florida
Chair, 2011 Gainesville Heart Ball