Collin County Heart Ball brings together survivors and philanthropists

The 3rd annual Collin County Heart Ball, presented by ReinHealth and held at the new Omni Frisco Hotel at the Star, raised more than $400,000 to advance the mission of the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Saturday evening’s gala featured tasting stations from 7 restaurants across North Texas. Attendees were invited to bid on auction items that included trips to Telluride, Colorado and Bimini while dancing to live tunes from Trey & The Tritones.

“Every year, the Heart Ball in Collin County gets bigger as more people learn about the Association’s critical work in one of the fastest growing communities in the country,” said Dallas American Heart Association Executive Director Melissa Cameron. “The amount of support shown at this year’s event was overwhelming and it ensures that we can continue the work we are doing to fund more research and advocate for healthier communities.”

The dazzling new Omni Frisco Hotel, part of the Cowboys’ headquarters at The Star development, hosted 500 people including survivors of heart disease and stroke. Erin Hunter, who was born with a congenital heart defect and is now a neonatal nurse herself, brought the crowd to tears after sharing her story. Joined by her mother, Denise Hunter, the two women urged the attendees to give back in support of the American Heart Association’s mission.

“The Collin County Heart Ball is so special because people come together to have a good time, but also to listen, learn and make an impactful difference in our community,” said Kate Sudol who chaired the event with her husband, Eric. “The success of this event is something to celebrate; it means we can continue to educate people on how to take care of their brains and hearts,” said Eric, the Dallas Cowboys’ Vice President of Corporate Partnership Sales & Service. Kate Sudol works for Cushman & Wakefield in the Headquarters Advisory Group.