Celina Gorre & Charms with Heart
At some point, you may have heard cancer is the leading cause of death for women, but did you know it’s actually heart disease? Myths like that are the reason the work WomenHeart does daily is so critical to helping women. Our guest this week on the Power of Charms is Celina Gorre, the executive director of WomenHeart. We knew we had to have her as a guest because heart disease is such an important cause close to our hearts. In fact, Kay’s personal heart journey has made her a heart champion and strong supporter of WomenHeart and its initiatives.
Since the pandemic began, WomenHeart has put a focus on sharing real stories of women, heart disease, and how COVID-19 can affect those with or at risk of heart disease, This is something we don’t really see talked about that often especially as it relates to women. WomenHeart goes beyond the diagnosis to form a support and resource center for women throughout their heart journey. It helps women build a valuable connection, find support, and inspire them to not be afraid of their diagnosis. Connection is something we all have struggled with throughout the pandemic but can be much more amplified after a heart disease diagnosis. There is a stigma around it that needs to have a light shining on it.
Charity Charms has a long history of creating jewelry featuring WomenHeart’s gorgeous heart logo. Most recently we created a charm fob and Embracelet with their new logo that was used to raise funds and awareness during American Heart Month.
Kay spoke with Celina about common myths surrounding heart disease, her efforts to improve the health of others worldwide, the loss of her mother at a young age, the challenges women of color may face, and much more.
Click the video below to view their interview or click here to listen
The Defining Symbol: The Buddha Head
Celina Gorre studied mediation at an Ashram in India. Her defining symbol is a Buddha Head because it has a way of calming her during times of stress. She enjoys sitting down for her morning meditation and seeing how the light of her candle flickers off the Buddha’s head. Although she will be the first to tell you, not all Buddha heads are the same. Some aren’t as calming as others! The Buddha Head is an iconic symbol that depicts the greatness of the Buddha. It is famous for religious and spiritual overtones. He resonates with a composure that is calm and meditative while embodying wisdom and compassion. Many believe by observing his calm and gaze, they can attain the knowledge they need to unravel the mysteries of reaching their own inner composure and greater well-being.
Looking for a buddha head charm of your own? We like these from The Free Spirit Shop, Wolf & Badger, Etsy, and Overstock.
About Celina Gorre and WomenHeart
Celina Gorre is the CEO of WomenHeart in Washington, D.C. She has a long history of working in nonprofits and helping better the health of others. She was Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases in London, founding Managing Director of the Foundation for the UN Global Compact, and worked in the field with UNFPA and UNICEF in Angola. She has extensive experience in corporate responsibility and global health working with the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS and corporate responsibility positions with Gap Inc and Mattel Inc. She took her role at WomenHeart with the hopes she could prevent families from losing a mother at such a young age as she did with her own mother to colon cancer. If she could give one piece of advice it would be, “Do I want to be right or do I want to be effective?”
WomenHeart was founded in 1999 by three women who had experienced heart attacks and the many obstacles associated with them including misdiagnosis, inadequate treatment, and social isolation. They began as a tiny support network but have grown to be the only national network of patient support groups across the country with nearly 100 in more than 30 states. Today they continue their efforts to build a network of support, connection, and important information for women to utilize throughout their heart journey.
After You Listen:
- Learn more about WomenHeart
- Join the fight for women’s health
- Check out these helpful resources
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