WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A multi-million dollar gift from a Palm Beach County couple will aim to help heart health.
The American Heart Association said it has received a $5.9 million donation from Sally and Bill Soter, with support from the Soter Kay Foundation, which is led by her daughter and grandchildren.
A total of $5.6 million will be used to expand ongoing women's cardiovascular research at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine in the Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Center.
This particular research is focusing on women specifically, as there are biological differences between the genders.
The American Heart Association reports about half of adults in the United States have some form of cardiovascular disease, which remains the number one killer of all Americans. It claimed more than 840,000 lives in 2016. AHA says nearly 80% of cardiac events can be prevented, and it continues to be a woman’s greatest health threat.
The Soters hope the gift and research done as a result will benefit generations of women to come.
The other $300,000 of the Soters' donation will be used to support hypertension and diabetes management initiatives in Palm Beach County. The hope is that the money will benefit more than 200,000 people who are most at risk. They will receive access to free blood pressure equipment, diabetes education and tailored healthcare support.
To date, Sally Soter has contributed more than $16 million to the American Heart Association's mission.
Learn more about services provided by the American Heart Association by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.