Davis & Elkins College is celebrating Black History Month with two virtual events Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6. Discussions on “Women’s Heart Health” and “Afrilachian Artist Marie Cochran on Carter G. Woodson and the Importance of Black History Month” are sponsored by the Presidential Initiative on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Wanda Tswago, a heart attack survivor, will be the featured speaker for “Women’s Heart Health.” The presentation will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, February 5 via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/96631421117.
The mother of Davis & Elkins College student Alexxis Tswago, Wanda Tswago will share her story to help raise awareness in keeping heart health in check.
At age 31, two weeks after giving birth to her daughter, Wanda Tswago suffered a massive heart attack. Two weeks later, she had another heart attack which evolved into congestive heart failure. As a result of the severity of her heart attacks, she is now disabled. Luckily, her condition is treatable; she has an Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator, takes several medications and makes sure she lives a healthy lifestyle.
To help prevent others from suffering the same fate, Wanda Tswago became a WomenHeart Champion to inspire, educate and empower other women to take charge of their health. She says WomenHeart has been vital in her life and recovery. In the early 2000s, she was featured in Glamour magazine’s February edition and in the online magazine Healthy Women. She also participated in a segment on “The Jane Pauley Show” to help raise heart health awareness.
Throughout the day on Saturday, February 6, “Affrilachian Artist Marie Cochran on Carter G. Woodson and the Importance of Black History Month” will be available on vimeo.com. Cochran is the founding curator of the Affrilachian Artist Project, which celebrates the intersection of cultures in Appalachia and nurtures a network of individuals and organizations committed to the sustainability of a diverse region.
Davis & Elkins College will present additional events in celebration of Black History Month throughout February. Details are forthcoming.
