Sister to Sister in Chicago


A letter from Irene Pollin, Founder and Chairperson, Sister to Sister Foundation...

Dear Ladies,

I am so pleased that you have come to our website in search of information and support, and hope that you will find it a rich and useful resource on your journey to a heart-healthy lifestyle. 

Sister to Sister, established in 2000, has a great deal to be proud of and celebrate as the decade comes to a close. We were the first organization to address the public health crisis that heart disease is the # 1 killer of women, and we have provided more than 80,000 free heart health screenings and counseling interventions while educating more than 200,000 women at our heart health fairs nationwide.

Now, ten years later, we feel it is the right time to move in a direction that will allow us to reach greater numbers of women, more efficiently and effectively.  To that end, we will be shifting our immediate focus away from local heart health fairs to a signature online wellness program that we have been developing for much of the past year.  This program will greatly enhance the tools and community aspects of the website, so please check back here for updates.

In addition, we will focus on our exciting partnership with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, relocating our national operations to Boston in early 2010.  The Abe and Irene Pollin Cardiovascular Program will focus on a Women's Heart Health Research Program, education and awareness, and advocacy to bring about policy change.

Heart Health Month is such an exciting time of year, as awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women continues to grow.  Every woman has the chance to dramatically reduce her risk of heart disease, which is largely preventable by adopting healthy lifestyle changes. 

Here's to healthy hearts for women everywhere!

Irene Pollin, MSW, PhD (Hon)

Sister to Sister has been part of your community since 2003. We work year-round to bring heart health resources to the women of Chicago.

We had another successful Women's Heart Health Fair on May 14, 2009 at the Merchandise Mart.  Over 2,030 women turned out to get heart smart with lifestyle presentations, cutting-edge information on medical issues and complimentary heart-health screenings. 

Local Sponsors

Merchandise MartChopping BlockCity of Chicago

Local Medical Partners

Midwest Heart SpecialistsNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Chicago
University of Illinois Medical CenterUniversity of Chicago

Local Media Partners

WLIT

Chicago Medical Advisory Committee

The Illinois Region Medical Advisory Committee consists of local premiere healthcare professionals who support the mission, vision and goals of Sister to Sister:  The Women's Heart Health Foundation.   Committee members are volunteers who support the organization through their time and talents.  They accept the responsibility of promoting and raising funds for heart screening activities and educational initiatives which are designed to empower women to make lifestyle changes to prevent or minimize their cardiac risk factors.

Medical Advisory Committee Members typically provide medical services to the women's heart health community and passionately embrace the opportunity to contribute to the success of the fundraising and outreach goals of the Sister to Sister team. 

Robert C. Hendel, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASNC

Midwest Heart Specialists
Robert C. Hendel, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASNC
Midwest Heart Specialists
Central DuPage Hospital
Suite 301
25 N. Winfield Road
Winfield, IL  60190
Phone:  630.510.9244 

Learn more about Dr. Hendel.
Martha Gulati, MD, MS, FACC

Northwestern University
Martha Gulati, MD, MS, F.A.C.C.
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
Department of Preventive Medicine
Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute of Northwestern
Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine
676 North St. Clair, Suite 600
Chicago, IL  60611
Phone:  312.695.1427
www.northwestern.edu

Learn more about Dr. Gulati.
Annabelle Volgman, MD, FACC

Rush University
Annabelle Volgman, MD, FACC
Associate Professor of Medicine
Medical Director, Heart Center for Women
Department of Cardiology
1725 W. Harrison Street, Suite 1159
Chicago, IL  60612-3824      
Phone:  312.942.5020
www.rush.edu    

Learn more about Dr. Volgman.
Mardi Gomberg-Maitland, MD, MSe

University of Chicago
Mardi Gomberg-Maitland, MD, MSe
Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Center
Assistant Professor of Medicine
5841 S. Maryland Avenue
5403 Room L-08
Chicago, IL  60637-1470
Phone:  773.702.6049

Learn more about Dr. Gomberg-Maitland.
Rupa Mehta, MD, FACC

University of Chicago
Rupa Mehta
, MD, FACC
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine, Cardiology
5841 S. Maryland Avenue
MC2090
Chicago, IL  60637
Phone:  773.702.1766

Learn more about Dr. Mehta.
Joan Briller, MD

University of Illinois
Joan Briller, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiology)
Director, Heart Disease in Women Program
Section of Cardiology (MC715)
Department of Medicine
840 South Wood Street
Chicago, IL  60612-7323
Phone:  312.996.6730

Learn more about Dr. Briller.

If you are a medical leader in women's heart health and are interested in joining the Illinois Region Sister to Sister Women's Heart Health Foundation Medical Advisory Committee, please contact Jacqueline Dominguez at jdominguez@sistertosister.org or 312.391.2445. 

Trainer Michael Gleason

Mike GleasonTrainer Michael Gleason will guide you to the finish line. His endurance sport experience includes:

  • Competitively competed in Triathlons, Marathons and Bike Racing for eight years (completed over 100 events)
  • Finished Four Ironman’s (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) Events-IM Wisconsin 2004 & 2006, IM Florida 2007, Ironman France 2008 and will be competing in Ironman Louisville in August 2009
  • Finished 13 marathons (fastest time 3:16)
  • Finished over 60 triathlons (Half Ironmans, Olympic Distance, Sprint Distance)
  • Qualified at “Elite Level” for Chicago Triathlon 2007 & 2008
  • Extensive experience in track workouts and planning, open water swimming clinics, marathon training, triathlon programs and program development, bike mechanics

Complete race bio can be found here.