When Nancy Powell’s mother had open-heart surgery at age 50, she wasn’t expected to live much longer, but thanks to advances in heart disease research, she’s feeling much better at 75.
That’s why Powell, a local real estate broker and owner of Powell & Associates Inc., is actively raising funds for the American Heart Association.
She will serve as the auction chair for this year’s Heart Ball, which will be held on Friday, Feb. 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Augusta Marriott in downtown Augusta. The event will include a reception and silent auction.
Powell has also been nominated as one of the CSRA’s AHA Women of Impact, which involves not only fundraising but also raising awareness about heart disease. If her local campaign is successful, she can go on to be a Woman of Impact at the state and national levels.
The campaign officially begins on Friday, Feb. 3, and ends nine weeks later in April. She will work with a fundraising team to solicit donations from Augusta area individuals and businesses.
“All the money raised stays here and goes towards research and education,” Powell said.
AHA is currently funding more than $8 million in local research, which is important because one in three women will be impacted by heart disease, and the disease will kill more CSRA women than all forms of cancer combined, according to statistics provided by the nonprofit.
Besides the Heart Ball, the organization has also partnered with Augusta Locally Grown to provide vegetable prescriptions for local residents and offers a Barbershop Blood Pressure Program, which trains barbers to monitor their clients’ blood pressure.
“Their goal is to reach more people and help prevent the progression of heart disease,” she said.
Powell isn’t sure yet what her fundraising goal will be.
“I just want to raise some money to help,” she said.
Powell’s father, now 81, has also battled heart disease and had valve replacement surgery. She understands there’s no way to eradicate the disease, but through research and education, she hopes more patients like her parents will live much longer than ever before.
To register for the Heart Ball, visit ahacolumbiasc.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/20222023CSRAHeartBall/tabid/1312271/Default.aspx.
