Heart disease doesn’t discriminate. It’s quite democratic. Regardless of your sex, age, race or political affiliation, it literally strikes fear in your heart.
Perhaps that’s why both male and female, young and old, and Democrat and Republican attended the 2014 Go Red For Women Luncheon Friday, February 7, at the Hilton Anatole.
Before the tsunami of guests flooded the lobby in red, the place was hopping with activity. Sessions were being held on heart-healthy lifestyles. Test were being conducted to determine guests’ heart status. Liz Tankersley was on hand to talk about the Porsche, with a bright red one just inches away.
Among the early crowd of women in red was a slight blonde strolling the entire Anatole lobby to the Counter Offer. There she purchased a couple of wake-up beverages and then disappeared into the distance. One person did a double-take and asked, “Isn’t that Lynne Cheney?” Indeed it was. But no one else seemed to notice.
As the lobby continued to fill in red looking like Papyrus’ Valentine selection, a few very special folks like Dan Novakov, Doug Hawthorne and Bobbie Sue and Phil Williams, ventured toward the Media Bar and Grill, where they were admitted only if their name was on a list. In the back of the room, an American Heart Association sponsorship backdrop was in place. Eventually sponsor types and AHA “friends” filed into the room to have their photo opp with keynote speaker/former Vice President Dick Cheney.
After completing a TV interview in a sideroom, Cheney headed to the next part of his day’s assignment — meet and greet.
Appearing like a frosh candidate on the chicken lunch circuit, Cheney greeted each old friend and new friend with a handshake and a smile. This was a man who had just celebrated his 73rd birthday, which was amazing with his heart’s track record of attacks, emergency room runs, near-death-experiences and heart transplant. One of the people in the lineup was last year’s Co-Chair Kate Rose Marquez, who had had open-heart surgery at the age of 42. What did she and Cheney talk about? A barbecue joint they both liked in Wyoming. BTW, Kate Rose is heading up the Circle of Red for people — both men and women — who have given at least $5,000. So far, there are 40 in the city of Dallas. Barbara Raven had issued a $100,000 challenge. For each $5,000 pledge, Barbara and her husband George will match it. The group was founded by Sandi Haddock. But more about Sandi later.
To the side, Lynne watched as a veteran of past photo opps. But unlike her drink run earlier in the day, she was spotted by old Dallas friends like Pierce Allman, Sandi Haddock and Barbara Levenson, so she was busy catching up.
Just as photographer Steve Wrubel was taking some of the last photos, someone realized that a photo of Sandi and husband Ron Haddock and U.S. State Rep. Sam Johnson hadn’t been taken. Not realizing protocol of others, who had been waiting their turn, the trio found themselves moved to the next spot on the list. But unlike the previous photo moments, this one took a little longer to chat about the good old days when the Cheneys had lived in Dallas, Cheney had headed up Halliburton and no one had ever heard of 9/11. But soon the handlers had their way and the conversation ended and the final photos were snapped.
Swiftly the handlers did their magic act and the Cheneys disappeared through a doorway.
Seconds later Jennifer Staubach Gates and her dad Roger Staubach arrived on the scene. Roger realized his tie wasn’t the appropriate day’s color. Somehow a red one was made available. As Rog quickly put it on, father and daughter headed for their photo with the now MIA Cheney. Not to worry. Guests were eager to have their photos taken with the Cowboy legend and his Dallas City Council daughter.
Someone asked where the Staubach matriarch, Marianne, was. Jennifer reported that a niece was having a birthday party and Marianne had committed to it before the Go Red event was on the books.
Inside the grand ballroom, the tables were as jammed as toes in a shoe one size too small. In front of the stage, the head tables were positioned in a heart shape decked out in red, of course. Seated between the two Cheneys, Luncheon Co-Chair Capera Ryan looked like she had been named homecoming queen.
Before getting to the main event, Capera and her Co-Chair Barbara Smith spoke passionately about their very personal reason for taking on the task of raising over $1M for AHA. Neither had personally suffered heart disease, but they had suffered the loss of family members and VIPs in their lives due to the disease.
American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown recognized Sandi Haddock’s importance to the AHA by announcing that they had created an award in her name honoring individuals who have been outstanding leaders in the fight against heart disease. And the first recipient was Sandi!
After Trinity Industries’ Tim Wallace presented the award to Sandi, husband Ron Haddock in his red shirt and black bowtie took over the mic and introduced the folks at their table including Florence Shapiro, Sam Johnson, Barbara Levenson and former Navy SEAL Clint Bruce and “his bride” Amy. If the Haddocks seemed a bit overly enthusiastic about the cause, it’s because they have firsthand knowledge due to Ron’s learning 20 years ago that three of his coronary arteries were 90% blocked. Thanks to research and advancements, Ron is healthy, which explains the Haddocks being on the frontline in the battle of against heart disease.
It was then time for the Cheneys to have an on-stage discussion with Cheney’s cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Reiner. In addition to guiding the Cheneys through their years of heart recovery, Reiner had co-authored “Heart: An American Medical Odyssey” with the former VP.
The conversation touched on the personal battle with heart disease from the patient’s, the family’s and the doctor’s perspective. Since Cheney suffered his first heart attack at the age of 37, he and his wife had 36 years of experience. Highlights from the talk included:
The 1970’s:
- While working in the Nixon and Ford administrations, Cheney said staffers were almost encouraged to smoke thanks to cigarette companies providing free cigarettes to the White House. He recalled how it was a way to impress people when you would pull out your pack of cigs that were marked “White House,” or matches marked “Air Force One.” It was during this time that he was smoking two to three packs a day. That statement brought an audible shudder from the audience.
- Following his first heart attack in 1978, he gave up smoking and started exercising.
- Lynne chided the VP by saying “You had bad genes on both maternal and paternal sides.”
- Lynne recalled how when they first learned of Dick’s condition, there was nothing to do for heart attack victims except bed rest.
The 1980’s:
- He suffered three attacks and bypass surgery. After which he started taking Lipitor that reduced the attack dramatically.
The 2000’s:
- It was while he was vice president that he discovered that there was no procedure in place for an incapacitated vice president to be replaced. So, he wrote a letter of resignation and gave it to his attorney. It seems that the lawyer kept it at home, which caught on fire. After getting his family out of the house, the attorney raced back in and retrieved the letter.
- During the 17 months after he left the vice presidency, he really went downhill.
2012:
- Dick waited 20 months for a heart to become available for his transplant. This surgery was the easiest he had ever had.
- Dick: “I wake up every day with a smile on my face to see a day I never expected to see.”
In addition to these recollections of their years surviving the disease, Lynne directed her comments to the audience advocating the importance of defibrillators in workplaces and the need for people to donate hearts. She advised people — both patients and family members — facing heart disease that “being positive is good. . . being upbeat about the progress that’s being made.”