The Ming Dynasty exhibit provided the perfect opportunity for the UCSF Asian Heart and Vascular Center (AHVC) to host its first benefit event at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
“I had such a good time with my friends there! I wish the [evening’s festivities] could have lasted longer,” said Henry Gaw, founding member of AHVC’s advisory cabinet. Such were the comments of many of the AHVC friends and supporters who mingled amid the flow of food and wines at the event, which also included a docent-guided tour of the Ming Dynasty exhibit.
Maria Fang, one of the newest AHVC advisory cabinet members, worked tirelessly to ensure the event’s success, noted Diana Lau, RN, MS, CNS, administrative director of AHVC. “From her help providing and arranging the flowers to her notable effort inviting friends and colleagues as guests, Fang’s labor of love reflected her staunch support of the AHVC’s mission to improve the cardiovascular health of the Asian community in San Francisco,” Lau said.
Ordinarily shy, Fang openly expressed to event attendees, “I think health is the most important issue for all of us. Without health, nothing else matters, including money!”
Another strong message to friends and guests that evening was to not take health for granted. “More and more Asians, as they acculturate to the fast foods and a more sedentary lifestyle, are being inflicted with heart disease, stroke and diabetes,” said Gordon Fung, MD, MPH, director of the AHVC.
The event drew strong support from many distinguished guests who are also friends, families and colleagues of the AHVC advisory cabinet members. They include Irene Riley (chair), Ellen D. Chan, Maria Fang, Henry T. Gaw, David Lei, Rolland Lowe, MD, Mae C. Woo, Carolyn Gan and Sandy Yu.
Beyond providing an opportunity for the influential Asian community to gather, the event was highlighted by the opportunity to meet Jay Xu, the new director of the Asian Art Museum, who gave a special heart-warming welcome to the guests. Many participants enjoyed the tour of the Ming Dynasty exhibit so much that they took a second tour to recap the experience.
“This unique, fun and wonderful event would not have been possible without the hard work of the advisory cabinet and some behind-the-scene leaders who chose to stay anonymous,” said Lau, thanking the guests for the evening. “The collaborative work showed that not only do they have the heart for art, but also the heart for heart!”
The UCSF AHVC provides culturally sensitive and language-appropriate care to patients, especially Asians. Additionally, the center provides preventive health education to patients and the general public, and cultural awareness training for other health care professionals. It also participates in research to further understand the unique metabolic and genetic differences of the Asian community.
One of the goals of the AHVC is to meet the specific health care needs of Chinese American immigrants in the Bay Area, as well as to increase this community’s accessibility to health care by providing screening and treatment. The center has already conducted numerous vascular screenings, as well as free monthly community lectures in Cantonese and Mandarin, two of the most common Asian languages spoken in the San Francisco Bay Area.
