Dear John, 

The global coronavirus pandemic is affecting every part of our lives, and even though we are practicing physical distancing and isolation, the number of confirmed cases and loss of life grows daily. Older adults and people with serious chronic medical conditions, like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, are at the highest risk of getting very sick if they become infected. It is with that in mind that WomenHeart remains committed to supporting and educating women about heart disease, while ensuring the health and safety of WomenHeart Champions and the women they serve remains at the forefront. 

Although a tough decision, WomenHeart has suspended all in-person Champion activities, including support network meetings, patient visits, and community outreach, to reduce potential exposure or spread of the virus. Many of our National Hospital Alliance member hospitals similarly took swift action to limit these small gatherings. Last week, we took precautions to protect our staff, and they began working 100% virtually. These restrictions will remain in place as long as CDC continues to recommend limited physical interactions. 

Even with all these changes, our work does not stop. During this time, we encourage women living with or at risk of heart disease to connect with one another through our virtual support programs, including SisterMatch, HeartSisters Online and WomenHeart Inspire, to address feelings of loneliness and isolation and to promote a sense of social connectedness and belonging. We at WomenHeart are working quickly to enhance our virtual programs to meet the need. We are also providing technical assistance to help our Champions continue to support their local communities with virtual support meetings. During this time, we understand our continued support is essential to helping women living with heart disease while they navigate their condition alongside this growing public health concern. 

There are many (fun!) ways you can join us and support our mission during this critical time. 

1. Get crafty: WomenHeart needs hand-made red scarves, which are sanitized and then sent to women heart patients. Learn more about how you can donate to HeartScarves here. 
2. Take a selfie: WomenHeart is part of the Hidden Risk campaign to educate people about secondary prevention of heart attacks. The campaign has an augmented reality experience that allows you to be painted into a masterpiece. For every photo posted on Facebook and Instagram, Bayer will donate $1 to WomenHeart and Mended Hearts. 
3. Help others connect to SisterMatch: If you know of a woman living with heart disease, tell her there are ways she can connect virtually with other women in her same situation. 
4. Read our blog: Be sure to visit our blog to read heart stories and the latest information as events unfold. 
5. Tune in: TODAY, Wednesday, March 25 at 3pm ET join us here as WomenHeart hosts a webinar. I will join cardiologist Dr. Rachel Bond to talk about our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.