Promoting the health and wellness of the university community always was one of the goals of the UBC Heart and Stroke Foundation Club. On February 28, the association will host a gala in the Nest to raise awareness about cardiovascular and ischemic diseases and to bring an opportunity to actively participate in heart-and stroke-related initiatives.
The organization is a sub partner of the Heart and Stroke Foundation — a national charity that invests in heart and stroke research — and they have joined forces to bring The Heart to Heart Gala to UBC.
Leo Yefet, director of the gala, is a third-year pharmacology student who believes that bringing the gala to the university will help people have a better multi-faceted understanding about the diseases.
“I think it really stands for what we do. There are three speakers: a cardiac nurse, an official representative from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and a patient that suffered from a cardiovascular disease,” said Yefet.
The club came up with the initiative of a gala because they think it is an exciting, informative and beneficial fundraising event. There is no numerical goal for the night and most of the donations they are hoping to get come from auctions provided by sponsors. All of the gifts raised will go to charity.
“Cardiovascular diseases are predominant in developed and underdeveloped countries and I think everybody knows someone who has had the disease. It is important to raise awareness so people can act fast. Time is super crucial and when detected and diagnosed within the first hours, survival rate is high,” said Leo Yefet when explaining one of the many reasons why people should know more about the disease, how to act if they face it and how the gala will help to achieve these goals.
The gala will have performances from the UBC A Cappella, UBC Improv and UBC EDM, which will be lighting up the night with great music and entertainment. There will be a buffet style dinner catered by Truffles Fine Foods and sponsors such as Shoppers Drug Mart. Tickets are being sold through their Facebook Event, “Heart to Heart Gala,” for $40+tax early bird and $45+tax regular price.