Davis looking forward to ‘most fun’ Heart Ball
Abigail Davis of Little Rock is only 23 years old, but she has a long history with the American Heart Association and the annual Central Arkansas Heart Ball.
“I’ve been going to the Heart Ball since 2016,” Davis says. “I’m an expert at this point.”
The ball is the heart association’s largest fundraiser and takes place at 6 p.m. April 6 at the Statehouse Convention Center, 101 E. Markham St., Little Rock.
Davis, who is in her second semester at the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, is on the decorating committee of this year’s ball, and she’s not the only Davis involved. Her parents, Mark and Tammy, are co-chairs of the event and her older brother, Mason, is on the committee.
“I’m really excited that Mom and Dad are chairs this year,” Davis says. “I think it’s going to be the most fun Heart Ball that we’ve had. I can’t go into details, but it is going to be very big.”
When pressed, Davis says attendees can expect “a lot more entertainment. Some circus themes are going to pop up … we’re trying to add more fun elements at the very beginning and at the end there is going to be a band.”
The American Heart Association is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and is the nation’s “oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke,” according to its website, heart.org.
“Heart disease is the No. 1 killer worldwide” according to the site, “and stroke ranks second globally. Even when those conditions don’t result in death, they cause disability and diminish quality of life. We want to see a world free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.”
Each year a new class of volunteers known as Sweethearts is introduced at the Heart Ball. Sweethearts are sophomore-age girls from Central Arkansas who are taught how to be ambassadors of the association.
Davis was a Sweetheart in 2016 and took part in the program because of her grandfather, Gary Davis, who had heart disease.
“He wanted me to learn about what he was going through,” she says. “I remember that first day and we learned about prevention and detection of heart disease. My grandfather was my neighbor, and I ran ran over to his house with my notes and I told him that these are all the things you’re going to do and you’re going to get so much better.”
Sadly, Gary Davis passed away shortly after Abigail’s first Heart Ball.
That didn’t dampen her resolve, however, and she continued to volunteer with the Heart Association. One of the things she did was start writing the first-ever blog for the group to share Gary Davis’ story.
“It was really hard for me to talk about,” she says. “I was just a 16-year-old who just lost her grandfather. My mom and dad actually helped me a lot.”
She eventually published 13 blogs about how heart disease affected other family members, and what she was doing to stay healthy. When covid-19 hit, she began making vlogs — a blog in video form — in which she would interview heart health advocates young and old.
In 2019 Davis was named the association’s Youth Advocate of the Year and in 2020 she and other volunteers were part of the Heart Association’s You’re the Cure campaign, which urges advocates to protect young people from tobacco. She has spoken with lawmakers in Washington and in 2019 helped get a bill, Tobacco 21, which sets the minimum tobacco buying age at 21, passed by the Arkansas Legislature.
“The Heart Association has been really good at giving me opportunities to continue to do these things,” she says.
Tammy Davis has enjoyed seeing Abigail continue her volunteer work so enthusiastically.
“Most girls get involved with the Sweetheart Program for a year and they move on to other things,” she says. “She has continued to stay involved. She enjoys the organization, and I think it is really important to her. I think they have seen that they have a young person who is really intent on making a difference and that has allowed her to shine.”
Abigail is quick to credit her parents for their example of volunteering and their affinity for the association.
“They have always had a passion for this just as much as I have. We have [heart disease] on both sides of our family, so it’s close to them, too. It’s not just me.”
Working with them and her brother on the Heart Ball “is the biggest full circle moment for me. As a Sweetheart we had no idea what I would be learning or what it would come to today. It’s been the best thing.”
To register for the 2024 Central Arkansas Heart Ball, visit https://new.event.gives/649524, or email Kathy Findley, kathy.findley@heart.org.