WomenHeart is currently looking for dynamic, driven women living with heart disease to apply to become WomenHeart Champions at the 2024 WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium. This is the nation’s only volunteer program that trains women with heart disease to serve as educators, advocates, and support for women living with heart disease.
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Watch this video to learn more about being a WomenHeart Champion and how to apply.
About the Science & Leadership Symposium
Since 2002, the nationally renowned WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium has brought together over 1,100 women living with heart disease. During this training, women gain the knowledge and skills to become volunteer leaders, community educators, national spokeswomen, patient advocates, and support network leaders that empower women to take charge of their own health. Through a comprehensive application process, WomenHeart selects women heart patients each year to attend this prestigious 3-day educational symposium at one of the nation’s leading women’s heart institutions – The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. However, in an effort to reach a wider audience and include those who may prefer to attend this training remotely, WomenHeart is now proud to offer this opportunity as a virtual 3-week training.
WomenHeart Champions are trained on the science of heart disease, how to share their story and message effectively, and how to become powerful patient advocates. They are also equipped with skills in leading support groups, presenting heart disease education, and conducting outreach in the community through local media, community health fairs, or other local events. All participants will receive training in the following areas.
- One-to-one and group peer support
- Support group management and engagement
- Community education and outreach
- Storytelling
- Advocacy
The WomenHeart Science & Leadership Symposium training will help you develop an action plan for the work you do in your community. WomenHeart will also provide you with resources to aid you along the way.
This year’s virtual symposium will be held from Monday, May 6, through, Thursday, May 23, 2024. All self-paced courses will be accessible through the WomenHeart learning portal, while any live virtual sessions will be held through Zoom. A calendar detailing all sessions for the duration of the virtual symposium will be provided in early April to all those accepted into the program.
WomenHeart will also offer an in-person symposium in October 2024. Champions who complete the virtual symposium may receive an invitation to attend the in-person training based on their level of engagement.
Eligibility to Apply
Women interested in applying must meet the following criteria:
- Must identify as a woman and and have been diagnosed with heart disease.
- Must be at least 6 months post most recent cardiovascular event (e.g., surgery, heart attack).
- Must be emotionally and physically ready to serve as a women’s heart health advocate.
Cost:
There is no cost for attending the virtual symposium and WomenHeart will provide all materials required for this training.
Deadline to apply:
All applications for the virtual symposium are due no later than April 8, 2024.
Application:
All applications must be submitted electronically using the online application form. In addition, the following must be submitted at the time of application submission to ensure that your application can be processed, and an interview can be scheduled in a timely fashion:
- Reference information and email address: All references will receive an email asking them to complete a brief questionnaire about the applicant.
- Application agreement: Please read the WomenHeart Champion Agreement. By completing and submitting the application, you understand and agree to the responsibilities outlined in this agreement if accepted as a WomenHeart Champion.
Additional Information:
The Symposium curriculum and schedule are challenging and may bring up strong emotions related to your heart disease diagnosis. In order to benefit from this immersive educational program, we recommend that all attendees are in good physical and mental health.
We recommend all applicants complete an anonymous Mental Health Screening utilizing the Depression and Anxiety Screening Tools to assess their mental and emotional readiness to provide peer support to women diagnosed with heart disease. While the results are anonymous, we encourage you to consider your results prior to submitting your application:
- If your Depression or Anxiety Test score is 10 or higher, we recommend discussing this with a member of your healthcare team as to their recommendations for managing your symptoms and advice regarding whether you should defer participation until your symptoms are improved.
- If on the Depression Test you indicated any response other than “Not at all” on Question #9 or responded “Very” or “Extremely” difficult on Question #10, we recommend you discuss these results with your healthcare team and defer your participation until your symptoms are improved.
If you have any questions, please contact applications@womenheart.org.