WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic

Transcription

1 WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic A Special Training for WomenHeart Champions Support Network Coordinator Track Description Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota October 6-9, th Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC fax:

2 About WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease As the leading voice for the nearly 48 million American women living with or at risk of heart disease, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is the first and only national patient-centered organization dedicated to promoting women s heart health through advocacy, community education, and patient support. Founded in 1999 by three women heart attack survivors, WomenHeart s founders transformed the isolation, confusion, and ignorance about women s heart disease into a call to action to save women s lives. WomenHeart s goal is to make sure that all women heart patients can receive quality health care and have access to education and emotional support. To further this goal, in 2012, WomenHeart developed the National Hospital Alliance. Comprised of hospitals committed to advancing women s heart health, the WomenHeart National Hospital Alliance (NHA) is a partnership that seeks to ensure that women heart disease patients in every community have access to information, education, and patient support services. Hospitals that become NHA members have access to educational materials and programs developed by the nation s medical leaders in women s heart health and are eligible to send two women from their community who are living with heart disease to attend the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic and become a WomenHeart Community Educator or Support Network Coordinator each membership year. WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic The focus of the 2017 WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium is to train women with heart disease to establish and lead patient support groups for other women with heart disease in their local communities or become community educators in their local communities. The goal is to have two women from each NHA member s community attend the training and return to their community as WomenHeart Champions women heart patients trained at the symposium to be volunteer educators and advocates for women s heart health. You will learn about the medical aspects of heart disease and how to educate and support women in your community. You will also learn how to tell your personal heart story to inspire and empower other women to take charge of their heart health. You will meet and bond with other women living with heart disease and learn from the nation s leading health care professionals, cardiologists, experts in women s health, and communications professionals. You will learn how to be a leader in your community committed to advancing women s heart health Who are WomenHeart Champions? WomenHeart Champions are women heart disease survivors who have made the selfless commitment to become leaders in their communities and examples to the nation in educating, advocating, and supporting the nearly 48 million American women living with or at risk for heart disease. Almost 800 WomenHeart Champion volunteers have been trained WomenHeart Champions range in age from years old 2 P a g e

3 Roles and Responsibilities of WomenHeart Support Network Coordinators WomenHeart Champions are the boots on the ground in the fight against heart disease in women and serve as role models in their communities and states, and oftentimes in national forums. As they share their inspirational stories of living with this chronic and often lifethreatening disease, their amazing work on behalf of WomenHeart and all women, becomes that much more impressive and appreciated. A WomenHeart Support Network Coordinator is a WomenHeart Champion who leads a WomenHeart Support Network for women living with heart disease. She uses her survivorship as a tool and motivation to educate, support, and advocate for women in her community. She avoids giving medical advice, but empowers her group members to seek support from their medical providers with improved health literacy and more information. She has been trained at the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium and receives continuing education through educational webinars and in-person training. What is a WomenHeart Support Network? WomenHeart Support Networks provide peer-to-peer, patient support for women living with heart disease. Support for a woman with heart disease is crucial to her recovery and wellbeing, and that of her family. WomenHeart has found that through its peer-led WomenHeart Support Networks, women are able to make well informed decisions about their health and health care based on educational programming and emotional support that WomenHeart Support Networks provide. WomenHeart Support Networks meet on a monthly basis and provide women with heart health educational information with an emphasis on secondary prevention. Currently, there are nearly 100 WomenHeart Support Networks in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and British Columbia, Canada. It is WomenHeart s ultimate goal to have multiple WomenHeart Support Networks in every state! Why is support so important? Support makes a difference. Too often heart disease diagnosis or events leave women feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious about their future. A recent survey of patients who attend WomenHeart Support Network meetings indicated that: 93% felt their quality of life has been enhanced 85.3% have improved their ability to communicate with their health care provider 93% have increased their understanding of heart disease 85.6% believe that attending meetings has helped them deal with challenges in maintaining their treatment/medication regimen 86.2% believe attending meetings has helped them better communicate and explain their heart disease to family members, friends, co-workers, etc. How will WomenHeart support you as a WomenHeart Support Network Coordinator? In addition to the training and education provided at the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium, WomenHeart provides continuous support to new WomenHeart Support Network Coordinators starting WomenHeart Support Networks in their communities. This includes: 3 P a g e

4 A growing curriculum of educational modules on various heart-related topics that are used as the discussion topics for your monthly meetings (topics include diet and exercise, anxiety and stress, healthy eating, depression, communication, etc.). Each module includes a facilitator s guide, video presented by an expert in the field, and a handout for your attendees Templates for your meeting announcements, newsletters, PowerPoint presentations, etc., to help market your WomenHeart Support Network Information on how to integrate the WomenHeart HeartScarves program into your Network; a program in which handmade red scarves are delivered to women newly diagnosed with heart disease District Leader Support every WomenHeart Support Network receives the support, encouragement, and advice from WomenHeart District Leaders (WomenHeart Champions who have previously led or are currently leading WomenHeart Support Networks) Continuing education via webinars and in-person training A national events calendar to help market your WomenHeart Support Network and local heart health events Champions of the Heart monthly e-newsletter to keep you current on WomenHeart initiatives around the country and from the national office A WomenHeart account and business cards Who may apply? You must first be affiliated with a hospital in your area that is a member of WomenHeart s National Hospital Alliance in order to apply for the 2017 WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium. We are however accepting a select few trainees not affiliated with a NHA hospital to become Community Educators who will not lead Support Networks. Additionally, you must have: A strong passion for supporting other women A commitment to education and advocacy for other women living with heart disease Strong community connections that can be leveraged for WomenHeart and future partnership opportunities A desire to advocate for excellence in health care Come to terms with your own diagnosis, and feel physically, emotionally, and psychologically ready to help other women Strong communication, listening, organizational, and computer skills The ability to maintain and check a working address to receive communications from WomenHeart 4 P a g e

5 What is the application process? After reading this document, complete the Science & Leadership Symposium online application application deadline is July 31 st, Additionally, you must: Ensure the completion of a recommendation form. It may be sent to WomenHeart via applications@womenheart.org. The recommendation form is due within 2 weeks of receipt of your application and is available during the registration process here: A 30 to 45 minute telephone interview will be scheduled, at which time you will learn more about the program and can ask questions. Ensure completion of a medical clearance form from your physician s office. This form will be provided after your interview with WomenHeart staff. You will be notified in August of your acceptance to the Symposium. If accepted, applicants must agree to the following: Attend the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium at Mayo Clinic in its entirety, from Friday, October 6, to Monday, October 9, 2017 (with arrival on Thursday, October 5), in Rochester, Minnesota Pay for their own travel to and from the Symposium. WomenHeart covers the cost of tuition, materials, hotel room (double occupancy with another heart sister attendee), and meals for the Symposium Complete the following preparation prior to the Symposium: o Take a survey that allows WomenHeart to assess attendees knowledge o Watch assigned video webinars o Read the online handbook and course materials prior to the Symposium o Maintain and check a working address at least once a week to receive updates prior to the Symposium 5 P a g e Lead and manage a monthly in-person WomenHeart Support Network for women living with heart disease in your community for a minimum of two years (approximately 8 10 hours a month). Responsibilities include: o Hosting a minimum of eight meetings per calendar year o Submitting monthly reports to WomenHeart on all volunteer activities by required deadlines o Participating in quarterly conference calls with District Leaders and other WomenHeart Support Network Coordinators o o Who is selected? Participation in WomenHeart Support Network program evaluation efforts Maintain and check a WomenHeart address that will be provided to you at least once a week

6 Please note that this is a competitive application process. Participants are selected based on the strength of their application, including relevant life experiences, volunteer history, and recommendations. Demographic diversity is also considered. Health caution: Due to its physical and emotional intensity, the WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium is not recommended for women who have been hospitalized or experienced severe cardiac symptoms during the past six months. If you have been diagnosed with heart disease or experienced a heart event within six months of the Symposium, please delay your application until In the meantime, we encourage you to attend one of our established Support Networks or participate in our SisterMatch program. Questions: Contact WomenHeart via at applications@womenheart.org or by phone at DEADLINE TO APPLY: July 31 st, 2017 The WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium is co-sponsored by WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, Mayo Clinic Women s Heart Clinic, and Mayo Clinic Office of Women s Health. 6 P a g e