Several local health organizations banded together on Saturday during a free community heart health event at the Lakeview Public Library, as part of the nationwide “Letter to My Mother” campaign.
The initiative is designed to raise awareness about heart disease in women and encourage conversations about family heart health history.
Medtronic partnered with WomenHeart during the event, which drew medical professionals, patient advocates and community organizations for a day of education, wellness activities and health screenings.
Dozens of attendees were provided access to free heart health checks, a fitness class, a poetry workshop, food and educational resources focused on preventing cardiovascular disease over the course of the two-hour event.
The program opened with remarks from Dr. Kimberly Robinson, director of the Bureau of Health Access at the Nassau County Health Department, who highlighted the continuing disparities women face in cardiovascular care.
“Women oftentimes are underdiagnosed, underrepresented, and undertreated when it comes to cardiovascular disease, and we see that those numbers are even higher for women of underrepresented populations,” Robinson said.
According to Medtronic, heart disease has remained the leading cause of death among women for more than 100 years, with 60 million women in the United States living with or at risk for heart disease, yet awareness gaps and treatment disparities persist. Women often experience heart disease differently than men and are less likely to receive minimally invasive treatments for conditions such as heart valve disease.
The “Letter to My Mother” campaign, launched in 2025, encourages women to discuss their family’s heart health history, recognize risk factors and seek medical care when symptoms arise. By promoting conversations among family members, the campaign aims to improve awareness while encouraging earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Kimberly Powell, communications director for Medtronic’s interventional cardiology therapy business, expressed hope that bringing the campaign to Long Island would encourage women to take charge of their heart health while creating conversations that could save lives.
“Today’s event is about more than just heart disease,” Powell said. “It’s about raising awareness, it’s about encouraging prevention, and inspiring impactful conversations that can save lives. Heart disease remains the number one cause of death among women in the United States, and that still surprises me today. Yet many women are unaware of their personal risk or have never discussed their heart health with their health care provider.”
Planning for the June 27 event involved collaboration among multiple Medtronic teams, the Lakeview Public Library, local advocates and community partners.
Vera Sweeney, a lifestyle blogger and Garden City resident, shared her personal heart health journey, explaining that what began as a routine medical evaluation led to unexpected concerns about her cardiovascular health.
“What this experience has taught me is that advocating for your health is not optional, it’s essential,” Sweeney said. “My journey isn’t over. I’m still searching for answers, but I’m also grateful that a routine blood test started a conversation, grateful that I paid attention and grateful that I found support in my Long Island community.”
Stephanie Silva, director of operations for WomenHeart, discussed the nonprofit organization’s mission to support women living with or at risk for heart disease and emphasized the importance of equitable care.
“Everything we do, every program we build, every event like this one is rooted in one belief,” Silva said, “that women deserve to be seen, heard, and treated equitably when it comes to their heart health, and today that belief brought us here.”
Community partners, including WomenHeart, Aortic Hope, the Nassau County Health Department and Heart Valve Voice, supplied educational materials, health resources and free screenings. Representatives were available throughout the event to answer questions, connect attendees with services and discuss cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.
The event also featured a poetry workshop led by New York artist and performer Melania Luisa Marte, who combined creative expression with mindfulness and wellness practices. After performing an original poem centered on resilience, healing and self-care, Marte guided participants through breathing exercises and reflective writing focused on family, health and personal well-being.
“Mindfulness is a simple and powerful practice of training our attention,” Marte said. “It’s simple in that it’s really about paying attention to what’s happening in the here and now, the sensations, the thoughts, the emotions in a non-judgmental way.”
Organizers said they hoped attendees left feeling empowered to prioritize their heart health, discuss concerns with their health care providers and advocate for themselves when something does not feel right. They also emphasized that understanding family history and recognizing cardiovascular risk factors can lead to earlier diagnosis, earlier treatment and better long-term health outcomes.
The Lakeview event followed a similar community outreach program in Houston and is part of Medtronic’s broader effort to address gaps in women’s cardiovascular care through education, research, advocacy and community engagement. Organizers said they hope the campaign will continue encouraging more women to learn their family health history, speak openly about heart disease and take proactive steps to protect their health.
Medtronic, which develops and manufactures healthcare technology and therapies, has served over 79 million patients for more than 70 health conditions.
WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, was founded in 1999 by Nancy Loving, Jackie Markham and Judy Mingram after each experienced a heart attack. Recognizing a critical gap in women’s cardiovascular care, they established WomenHeart to provide education, advocacy and peer support while raising awareness that heart disease is the leading cause of
