By London Foster
Staff Writer
Mira Costa sophomore Naomi Collicutt’s personal experience with heart disease has inspired her to make a difference at Costa and in her community.
Give a Heart is a new philanthropic club at Costa that helps raise awareness and money for the American Heart Association. They participate in walks, bake sales, and try to get as many people as they can to help out with the cause.
“I was inspired to create the club because I was diagnosed with heart disease when I was five days old,” Collicutt said. “Ever since then I’ve wanted to help give back to the community who were not as fortunate as me because now I don’t have as many problems as most patients with heart disease do.”
Collicutt started the Give a Heart Club in September, which meets on Mondays in room 230. The club has not yet participated in any fundraising events but at each club meeting, members go over future events and activities which they will take part in. They also strategize and brainstorm ideas to raise money for the AHA.
“We want to educate people on the cause because not a lot of people are familiar with it and all efforts to help count,” Club Representative sophomore Kiyana Fateni said.
Collicutt had aspirations to create the club in eighth grade, knowing she wanted to make a difference at Costa. When creating the club, Collicutt reached out to close and personal friends in hope to spread word about her club.
“I asked all my cheer friends because I knew that was a big group who supported me,” Collicutt said. “I just wanted to get the word out that I was starting a club”
With February being American Heart Month, the club will participate in several walks, such as the Heart Walk. The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s main event for raising money to save lives from heart disease and stroke.
“I am especially looking forward to participating in the walks,” club member freshman Rachel Langetieg said. “I think they’ll definitely make a change in people’s lives mostly because of all the donations each school club is giving to heart disease patients in need.”
Collicutt hopes that her story can be an inspiration to others and that they will become aware of the cause and take action. She wants that her passion and dedication to the cause to inspire others to join in and continue on the legacy that she has started at Costa.
“Naomi has dealt with open heart operations and is such an inspiration just by the way she wants to help kids going through the same thing so I want to help in any way I can,” Fateni said.
Collicutt’s passion for the cause goes farther than just the club, she is dedicated to helping raise money and awareness for heart disease. Club Advisor Andrea Collicutt states that she is proud of the awareness that her daughter’s bringing to the disease.
“I think it’s wonderful that Naomi wants to make students aware of heart disease,” Mira Costa teacher and Collicutt’s mother Andrea Collicutt said.
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