Elisabeth Rohm has held many titles in her life. She is a Hollywood actress with over 80 television and film credits to her name. She is also a director and writer. But her role as a health advocate and philanthropist may be closest to her heart.

“I was raised by a woman who taught me that I needed to think about others,” she said. “Her mother encouraged me to use my voice to help others. When we are going through difficult times, we must be a guide for others. When the cracks appear, the light shines through.”

Rohm is no stranger to tough times. She lost her mother, her aunt, and her grandmother each to heart attacks in their 60s. These losses now motivate her to share her family’s story and inspire other women to prioritize their heart health.

She has been a national volunteer with the American Heart Association for more than a decade and is a strong supporter of CPR, saying her family could have been saved if CPR had been administered. Rohm also shares her own personal story and promotes her heart health at her AHA CPR training events, Go Red for Women forums and luncheons, her dress in red concerts, and more. Inspiring others to prioritize.

Ms. Rohm is a recipient of the Women Changing the World Award for her extensive volunteer work and heart health advocacy. The award is “presented annually to a leader in a field or community who has driven significant change and accomplishments that help advance the world’s mission.” ” She will be recognized at AHA’s online National Volunteer Awards Ceremony, which will be open to the public on May 2 at 6 p.m.

Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, said, “Elizabeth’s powerful advocacy and tireless efforts on our behalf by sharing her heartbreaking family history of cardiovascular disease are countless. “We have benefited countless lives and advanced our mission.” “I am personally grateful for her dedication to our cause and her willingness to work with us on so many fronts.”

For Rohm, working with AHA has been rewarding in many ways.

“The American Heart Association has been like family to me for the past 14 years,” she said. “This award is a small recognition of my relentless pursuit of never giving up on the values ​​I share with AHA.”

These priorities include fundraising for cardiovascular disease research, support and education; She’s also a vocal advocate for women knowing their family’s health history and taking steps to reduce their risks. As the mother of her 16-year-old daughter Easton, she knows how important it is to guide her next generation.

“It’s important to use the past as a forum for conversations with families about heart health and to advocate for better lives in the future,” she says. “Her mother passed away, and I carry that flashlight with me now, but if her mother had changed her health habits or made different choices while she was alive, things would have been different. I know it could have been different.”

Rohm’s acting credits in her professional life include playing Assistant District Attorney Selina Sutherlin on the Emmy Award-winning television series. Law and order Appeared in Oscar-nominated movies american hustle and joy. In recent years, she has added television director to her resume.

Rohm also works in philanthropy with several organizations and is the co-founder and organizer of the RESPECT project, which provides online and in-person cultural programs that celebrate diverse voices and experiences. She is already planning to do more volunteer work once Easton goes to college in a few years. Her efforts include the importance she places on her AHA, as it has strong support from women.

“As a daughter, I work in heart disease with the American Heart Association,” she said. “I’m just one voice advocating for other women to slow down, get some rest, and take care of their health. It may seem selfish, but that’s what I do. It’s what we have to do and what we need.” Teach our children so they too can grow up learning to prioritize their own health. ”