February is American Heart Month, a time to focus on cardiovascular health. As we celebrate the month of love, store displays plastered with hearts serve as an important reminder that heart disease prevention is vital to overall health. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in adults in the U.S. 

While most of the risk factors of heart disease are generally well-known, it’s important to understand there are some lesser-known determinants.

Risk factors*

• Chest pain, pressure, burning, aching or tightness – it may come and go
• A family history of cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure
• Overweight or obese
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Using tobacco products
• Metabolic disease, diabetes or other illnesses
• For women it can also include birth control pills, a history of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes or having a baby with low birth weight

* These are the general risk factors. Discuss your risk with your doctor. 

Because anyone can be at risk, Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) education teaches the early signs and symptoms of a heart attack, which can include:

Feeling of fullness; pain that travels down one or both arms; jaw pain; excessive fatigue or weakness; anxiety; nausea or vomiting; back pain; shortness of breath; chest pressure, squeezing, aching, or burning.

Some heart attack symptoms can be different between men and women. This can often result in women being less likely to seek immediate medical care, which can cause more damage to the heart. 

• Men normally feel pain and numbness in the left arm or side of the chest, but in women, these symptoms may appear on the right side.
• Women may feel completely exhausted, drained, dizzy or nauseous.
• Women may feel upper back pain that travels up into their jaw.
• Women may think their stomach pain is the flu, heartburn or an ulcer.

Someone experiencing a heart event might have one or more of these common symptoms. When they start, they can be mild or come and go. Over time, the symptoms and pain become more intense. Stay alert and always pay attention to chest pressure. 

Most heart damage can occur within the first two hours of a heart attack. EHAC encourages you to know the subtle signs of a heart attack and act on them before heart damage occurs.

Prevention is key

A CT angiogram identifies early detection of heart disease by detecting plaque in the walls of your arteries before an obstructive heart attack occurs. Call today or talk to your provider to see if a preventative CT angiogram is right for you. Carrollton Regional Medical Center’s state-of-the-art 640-slice CT scanner, the first of its kind in North Texas, provides a three-second heart scan that uses a low dose of radiation and contrast.

Stay Calm! Save a Life 

If you miss the early signs and someone collapses, call 911 and begin hands-only CPR. It takes just minutes to learn, but you could be adding years to someone's life. If an AED is available, deploy it as soon as possible. AEDs provide easy to follow verbal instructions in order to help someone. 

Carrollton Regional Medical Center is a 216 - bed Acute Care Hospital managed by Sana Healthcare. CRMC serves Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Lewisville, The Colony, and other surrounding communities. CRMC offers an array of services including 24/7 Emergency Care, Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Imaging Services, Rehabilitation and Therapy Services, Cancer Care, a 16- bed Intensive Care Unit, Surgical Services, and an Inpatient Orthopedic Center of Excellence. Our Women’s Imaging Center is just 2 blocks north of the hospital and provides 3D digital mammography and other specialized breast procedures. CRMC is here to serve its community with high quality, patient-focused care, close to home. Visit www.crmc.health.

With the help of a $120,000 grant from Metrocrest Hospital Authority, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry in Dallas offers an oral health program in Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District for the first time. The grant also supports the college’s ongoing dental hygiene education and cavity prevention information distribution in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  

Parents of nearly 100 students at Sheffield Elementary School in Dallas consented for third graders and some second graders to be screened for dental problems by Texas A&M’s dental students during this school year. Through Empowering Smiles Oral Health Initiative Program, dental students and dental hygiene students will make four visits to Sheffield before June, assessing students’ dental needs and hosting sealant clinics. Two visits were in the first semester of the school year.

Similar screenings and fluoride varnish clinics are scheduled this school year at McWhorter Elementary School and McKamy Elementary School, both in Dallas, and McLaughlin Strickland Elementary School and Blair Elementary School, both in Farmers Branch. About 400 students at McLaughlin Strickland, ranging from kindergartners to fifth graders, are scheduled for initial screenings and fluoride applications on Feb. 12 in what the dental team calls a Blast Day.

Dr. Amal Noureldin, a tenured professor and director of the predoctoral program in the college’s public health sciences department, said the MHA grant allows the college to offer C-FBISD parents and students similar screenings and care to what the dental students and dental hygiene students provide at schools in Dallas Independent School District, Garland Independent School District, Richardson Independent School District and Irving Independent School District.

While the MHA grant is only for one year, Noureldin said feedback is positive so far and the grant could be renewed.

“We are collecting data on dental needs including cavities, decay and gum problems …,” she said. “From our sealant program, we observed a high prevalence of decay.”

Basic preventive care, including screening, fluoride treatment and sealants, costs about $150 to $300 per child in the competitive marketplace, said Dr. Luz “Lucy” Mendoza, program portfolio manager in the college’s public health sciences department. The college’s program aims to help decrease both children’s school absences and parents’ time off work for dentist appointments. The program is offered at no charge.

“We are trying to close the loop,” Noureldin said.

Texas Women’s Foundation has announced details of its Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration on May 8, 2025, at the Omni Dallas Hotel (555 S. Lamar St., Dallas, TX 75202).

The day begins with #BESTSELF, an event designed to empower teen girls to prioritize their health and wellbeing, develop strong communication and conflict resolution skills and lean into leadership opportunities. The evening dinner and Awards Celebration honors the 2025 Maura Women Helping Women and Young Leader recipients.

Co-chairs for the event are business and community leaders Debbie Dennis, Chief Customer Officer and SVP Human Resources and Corporate Affairs at Oncor Electric Delivery, and Brooke Hopkins, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal.

Texas Women’s Foundation President and CEO Karen Hughes White said, “We invite you to join us on May 8^th as we pour into the next generation of leaders at #BESTSELF and then hear from our stellar slate of honorees who have dedicated themselves and their careers to uplifting women, girls and families to strengthen our communities.”

Maura Women Helping Women Award:

For 46 years, the Maura Women Helping Women Award has been presented to more than 230 courageous individuals who have catalyzed change for women and girls. Brenda Jackson, selection co-chair and former Maura Women Helping Women Award recipient, and Carrie Freeman Parsons, TXWF Board Chair and selection co-chair, led the committee to select the following honorees:

Cynt Marshall, Marshalling Resources Founder and The Dallas Mavericks (retired CEO)

Cynt Marshall has been a dynamic force in business over a 36-year career at AT&T.  When she was hired as the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks in March 2018, she set her sights on a culture transformation. Her vision was for the Mavericks organization to become the NBA standard for inclusion, diversity, and workplace culture, and the Dallas Mavericks have twice received the NBA’s Inclusion Leadership award. She is  founder of Marshalling Resources, a consulting firm. Her first book, You’ve Been Chosen, was released in September 2022 and was nominated for an NAACP Image award. Marshall is the recipient of several honors and awards including the 2024 Lone Star EMMYS President’s award, the 2024 Junior Achievement of Dallas Business Hall of Fame Laureate award, among others. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with degrees in Business Administration and Human Resources Management and holds four honorary Doctorate degrees.

Anne Chow, The Rewired CEO Founder

Anne Chow is a transformative business leader whose trailblazing corporate career spans over three decades. She is currently Lead Independent Director on the Board of Directors of Franklin Covey and serves on the boards of 3M and CSX. She is a Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Executive Education at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and the national best-selling author of LEAD BIGGER: The Transformative Power of Inclusion. In her prior role as CEO of AT&T Business, she was the first woman of color CEO in AT&T’s 140+ year history, responsible for leading a $35B global operating unit comprised of over 35,000 people. Widely recognized for her role model leadership, Chow was named to Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business twice, Forbes inaugural CEO Next List of Leaders set to revolutionize American business and was inducted into the Dallas Business Hall of Fame.

Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D., Texas Woman’s University Chancellor and President

Since 2014, Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D. has served as chancellor of the Texas Woman’s University System and president of Texas Woman’s University, the nation’s largest university with a woman-focused mission. Spearheading the largest construction boom in the university’s history (nearly $500 million) and first ever comprehensive campaign, she has more than tripled the endowment, launched many major initiatives such as the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership and the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences focusing on preparing women pilots. Personally, she is deeply committed to amplifying the impact that emerges from TWU’s distinctive campus where women comprise 90% of the student body. She has made strategic investments to extend the university’s mission to whole-person development. Her leadership fosters a supportive environment that prepares graduates to succeed in today’s complex global society. These efforts were recognized by the American Council on Education with the 2023 ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation.

Jennifer Bartkowski, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas CEO

Jennifer Bartkowski is the Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX), having held multiple leadership roles over the last 15 years. She pioneered a national Girl Scout STEM initiative built on the success of the $15M STEM Center of Excellence in southwest Dallas to change the workforce pipeline for North Texas. She is now leading a transformational strategy to reimagine Girl Scouts to serve more girls in more communities in more inclusive ways. Bartkowski holds a Master of Public Administration from Texas A&M University and has worked with a variety of organizations including United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the American Lung Association of Texas. She serves as Chair of the Leadership Dallas Alumnae Association and The Dallas Summit, Board Chair of Black Women in Nonprofit Leadership, sits on the Aggie Women Network Board of Directors, and is a founding board member of Carson’s Village.

Nirupama “Rupa” DeSilva, M.D., Parkland Health, UT Southwestern Medical Center Professor

Nirupama “Rupa” DeSilva, M.D. is a Professor of OBGYN at UT Southwestern.  A specialist in pediatric-adolescent gynecology, her clinical practice is at Children’s Medical Center. Dr. DeSilva also serves as Parkland’s Medical Director of Family Planning and Child Poverty Action Lab’s Expert in Residence. Throughout her career, Dr. DeSilva has had great interest in increasing access to effective medical care within her community, as well as educating people about their reproductive needs so that patients can decide if a contraceptive option is best for them. In her role as Medical Director of Family Planning, she is dedicated to working with her team to increase access to women’s health for marginalized women through innovation. In this vein, she has created many new projects, including a new mobile van that can make access to contraception easier for those women who desire it. 

Young Leader Award:

The Young Leader Award recognizes breakthrough leadership exhibited by a trailblazer who is achieving success in a field, initiative or sector, and creating a path of opportunity for other women to follow. This year’s recipients:

Haleigh Jones, Crawford, Wishnew & Lang Attorney

Haleigh Jones is an attorney practicing civil litigation in Dallas. She handles trials and appeals in high-stakes, commercial cases. She uses her law degree to effect positive change and advance the lives of women in Texas, most recently pursuing a school district for violations of Title IX that led to sexual abuse of a female minor student. Jones is a mentor in and servant of her local and state bar associations. She served as the president of the 2024 Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, a 2,500-member bar association with more than 30 committees whose two-fold mission is to improve the lives of young lawyers and to improve the DFW community. In 2021, the Dallas Women Lawyers Association recognized Jones as its “Rising Raggio.” The award, named after Louise Raggio, recognizes an outstanding young woman lawyer who has had significant professional accomplishment and acted as a leader in the Dallas community.

Cristal Retana Lule, Children’s Health Vice President of Community Relations

Cristal Retana Lule is committed to advancing equitable access to opportunities and resources to enhance the overall quality of life for all. As Vice President of Community Relations at Children’s Health, she leads the organization's community outreach initiatives also focusing on local and regional advocacy. Lule is a first-generation Texas and proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. She began her public policy career as a legislative staffer in the Texas Senate and has held several influential roles at both the state and local levels. She also served as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Farmers Branch where she launched several initiatives including the city’s first night court, youth commission, senior repair program and more. Lule has received numerous accolades, including the 2024 League of Women Voters Volunteer Award, 2023 DFW Hispanic 100 Emerging Latina Leader Award and was recently appointed to serve as the 2025 state chair-elect for the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas.

To learn more about this event and purchase a sponsorship, visit https://txwf.org/join-us/events/lfac-event/ For those interested in sponsorship, contact Joy Busch at maura@txwf.org or 214-525-5321.

About Texas Women’s Foundation:

One of the largest women’s foundations in the country, Texas Women’s Foundation (TXWF) knows that now more than ever is the time to create more equitable communities to build #StrongWomenBetterWorld. TXWF raises funds from a broad base of donors, including individuals, foundations and corporations. These resources support more than $6 million in investments each year that advance economic security and leadership for Texas women and girls through research, advocacy, grantmaking and strategic/educational initiatives. Since its inception in 1985, TXWF has invested nearly $85 million in Texas women and girls.

The Foundation’s statewide research on issues impacting Texas women and girls provides corporate, state and local decision-makers and lawmakers with critical data to inform policies, practices and programs across the state. Its advocacy, grantmaking and educational initiatives support solutions that help Texas women and girls survive and thrive. In addition, Texas Women’s Foundation is an acknowledged leader and advocate in the gender lens investing movement, deploying 100 percent of its invested assets – endowments, operating investments and donor-advised funds – in a gendered impact portfolio that yields strong financial returns and social benefits to women and girls. For more information, visit www.txwf.org, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram or donate now

Members of the Plano Symphony Performed Live!

Maria Vallejo, Plano Symphony, spoke on Healing Notes

                
Celebrating 35 years!  AWARE held its November education meeting and luncheon at Touchmark at Emerald Lake and featured Maria Vallejo from the Plano Symphony speaking on Healing Notes, the benefits of music therapy and a live performance by members of Simon Sez Brass, who often perform with the Plano Symphony and other groups around North Texas.  
          
AWARE is a nonprofit organization that empowers North Texans to rise above the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, together.
          
Karen Koop, president, welcomed the crowd and encouraged everyone to join the group as a Friend of AWARE or give membership as a holiday gift. She announced the AWARE Affair 2025 gala will happen on Friday, April 4, 2025 at Gilley’s in downtown Dallas. Chaired by David McDavid Jr., the event will honor Venise Stuart with the Founder’s Spirit Award and Karisti Julia with the Amy Osler Spirit of Education Leadership Award.  It will be a boot scootin’ event again this year with a live and silent auction, buffet seated dinner and dancing to the tunes of the fabulous Breckenridge Band.  Karisti is also chair of today’s event at Touchmark.
          
Wesley Helms, executive director of Touchmark at Emerald Lake, spoke about the new happenings at the venue, additional facilities are in the works, and all of the available amenities and activities in the Touchmark community.
          
Erin Dougherty from the Center for Vital Longevity, gave updates followed by Audette Rackley from the Center for Brain Health, who gave everyone a copy of their new booklet, a Guide to Proactive Steps, a resource for those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias, funded by a grant from AWARE.
          
After the invocation by Mari Epperson, Karisti reminded everyone that there will be a Holiday Party in December and the next Friends meeting will be in March 2025 at the Center for Brain Health.
          
She introduced Maria Vallejo from the Plano Symphony who spoke about “Healing Notes” and the powerful impact of music therapy and live musical performances for those in senior living communities.  She said they take part in the rhythm part of the performances with interactive concerts. One of their partners is Simon Sez Brass, who perform outreach concerts, and featured a very entertaining mini-concert of musical numbers from a trove of favorites from the past.
          
It was a wonderful luncheon as everyone sang, clapped their hands and participated in the musical show while enjoying a sumptuous luncheon.
          
To know more about AWARE, the upcoming Spring 2025 gala, join the Friends group, visit the website at www.awaredallas.org

AWARE Affair Boots, Buckles and Brain Health presented by Anne Davidson, happens on Friday night, April 4, 2025 at Gilley's Dallas. AWARE returns to Gilley’s for a boots, buckles and brain health evening with supporters coming together for a night fighting Alzheimer’s and supporting care partners. Guests will enjoy a delicious seated buffet dinner, dancing to The Breckenridge Band, lots of fun brain health activities, silent and live auction, and a meaningful evening with friends and family while raising money for AWARE.

David McDavid Jr., is chair. Karen Koop is president, AWARE. 

Underwriting and Sponsorships: Underwriting tickets begin at $1,200 for two tickets and other benefits. Underwriting levels go up to $25,000. Exclusive Naming opportunities start at $5,000 up to $25,000. The $50,000 Trailblazer Presenting Sponsor is sold.

AWARE Affair 2025 Website Link: https://www.awaredallas.org/aware-affair/   
More gala details coming soon!

About AWARE:
AWARE is a nonprofit organization that empowers North Texans to rise above the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, together. Since AWARE’s founding in 1989 by a group of volunteers, the Dallas-based organization has invested more than $14 million in local providers, researchers and innovators fighting for our loved ones and a cure. Every dollar that AWARE grants stays in North Texas to benefit the local community.

AWARE also invites North Texans to join Friends of AWARE —a community of individuals, caregivers and professionals with a vested interest in supporting the best care in our region today and hope for a cure tomorrow. Individuals navigating the challenges of these diseases—including patients, caregivers and professionals—connect, learn and advocate for solutions in North Texas. 

The community can support AWARE’s mission by joining Friends of AWARE, attending its annual signature fundraiser, AWARE Affair, or donating. Join Friends of AWARE at www.awaredallas.org.

AWARE is a component fund of The Dallas Foundation, a 501c3 publicly supported charity.

Together with compassion and dedication we can make a difference. Join AWARE now and join the fight.   www.AWAREDallas.org   Instagram: @awaredallas

Facebook: @awaredallas
                                                 

Photos by Rob Wythe/Wythe Portrait Studio

A Grave Roast

Orchard Hollow, #1

by

A.N. Sage

An unusual supernatural world with engaging and unique main characters!

A Grave Roast is the first book in the new paranormal cozy mystery series, Orchard Hollow, by author A.N. Sage, and with its delightful main characters, cute small town, and unique "world," I hope we're in for a long run of follow-up adventures! Piper Addison feels she’s finally found her niche in life. She’s opened her own coffee shop and things are looking up despite being a little low on emergency funds. So, it’s a big problem when the espresso machine acts up but that’s nothing compared to the discovery of a dead body in the alley behind her shop and she looks like suspect number one. 

Piper is very likable as the new proprietor of her own coffee café, Bean Me Up, although she's lived in the town all her life. I liked that she's a mature woman (not quite 40 yet) and is open to finding a new romance after experiencing some real duds in her past. She's fun, and her less-than-proficient magic use had me laughing. Even though she was not friends per se with the victim, she was still compassionate enough to pursue looking into what happened and why he reached out to her (whether the police had her as a suspect or not!) I liked the fact that she has quite a unique familiar, although I'm not quite a Stella fan. I was completely taken by surprise and enjoyed how her furry nemesis, Harry Houdini, also gets involved and gets his point of view aired. 

The author's writing style is easy to read, very pleasing, and well-paced. I was immediately engaged by the story and the descriptions of the town with both water and mountains in view and enjoyed getting a real feel for the shops on Cliff Row and their owners. In other books, this initial reveal of the population of the cozy mystery town often gets overwhelming and tedious, but happily, that did not occur here; it was very natural and simply accomplished. Of course, my favorite spot in town is Brooks Books! 

The town exists on top of an accumulation of ley lines, so many supernatural or paranormal types have congregated in Orchard Hollow to call it home. I found it a unique twist that their magical abilities are not made public knowledge even with each other. It's personal and only shared with those one trusts. The fact that there are supernatural beings there is no secret, though, and even the humans are aware of their existence. I liked the idea of the coven of "mean girl" witches, even though Piper was their frequent target. 

With its unusual supernatural world, engaging and unique main characters, and solid puzzle to resolve, I recommend A GRAVE ROAST to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a paranormal element in their stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.