Fayette Community Leading the Way in Support of Women's Heart Support Network

In April of 2017, Fayetteville resident Vicki Turner was invited to a luncheon celebrating the launch of the Dottie Fuqua Women’s Heart Support Network at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. She heard about the ideas for classes and programs, and listened to a panel discussion on heart disease and women, featuring Dr. Jyoti Sharma, but it was the testimony of a young woman that made the biggest impact on her.

“It was a touching story, to see this woman with her family, after a heart condition that could have ended her life,” Turner said. “You could see how the simple screening can make a difference in any woman’s life and at any age. I wondered if we had anything like that at Piedmont Fayette and thought, ‘If not, I’ll make sure we do.’” This experience inspired Turner to make a generous donation to Piedmont Healthcare Foundation to bring the Women’s Heart Support Network to Fayette County.

One year later, in May 2018, Vicki Turner and Piedmont Fayette Hospital hosted the inaugural luncheon to announce the launch of Piedmont’s Women’s Heart Support Network in Fayette County. Jo Tapper moderated a panel discussion with Women’s Heart experts Dr. Jyoti Sharma, Lauren Fyock, Dr. Bukola Olubi, and Barbara Conlan on the topic of Women’s Heart Health. The luncheon was attended by 100 women from the Fayette community and many made donations in support of the program. During the luncheon, Larris Marks shared a personal story of how the Women’s Heart screening brought to light an issue she didn’t know she had.

“Because of my lifestyle, it never occurred to me that I would have heart disease. However, heredity plays a part, and the screening found that I have coronary artery disease. Without a screening, the only way this would have been discovered would have been with a fatal or near-fatal incident.”

After the luncheon, many more women signed up for the women’s heart screenings, and there has been tremendous interest in the education and wellness programs that Piedmont’s Women’s Heart Support Network is bringing to the county. Within the first three months of the Fayette program, there have been cooking demonstrations, classes on aromatherapy, a Heart to Heart dinner with Dr. Olubi, and a Farmer’s Market tour with Chef Nancy. Many women have also signed up for one-on-one wellness coaching with Fyock, and they have spread the word to their friends and family.

“I felt it would be this way,” Turner said. “So many people in Fayette County want to do good things and want to be a part of something special.” Turner is pleased that her donation is already seeing its impact on her community. By investing in women’s health, the Fayette community is able to be proactive about understanding risk factors and how to prevent or manage serious heart conditions that may have been undiagnosed without these advanced screenings.

“The Women’s Heart Support Network launched at Piedmont Fayette this past summer and the response from the community has been tremendous,” said Piedmont Fayette CEO Michael Burnett. “It has been driven by individual donors, like Fayetteville resident Vicki Turner, as well as other women telling their family and friends about the programs. The educational aspects of the Women’s Heart Support Network led by program Coordinator, Lauren Fyock, are outstanding, but the biggest impact is that women have acted on what they have learned and focused more on their health and wellness. This program is making a positive difference in every life that it touches.”

For information about the Dottie Fuqua Women’s Heart Support Network, visit piedmont.org/womensheartsupport or for Women’s Heart Screenings, visit piedmont.org/heartscreening or call 404-236-6262.

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