ROANOKE (WSLS 10) – Local business leaders walked the red carpet before hitting the dance floor Saturday night to help a good cause.
The 2016 Roanoke Heart Ball's "A Night at the Oscars" is an annual event that raises money for the American Heart Association.
Recommended Videos
Organizers say close to 400 people attended this year's event at Hotel Roanoke.
In addition to camera flashbulbs, spotlights and elegance, guests celebrated lives saved, raising vital funding needed for research and prevention education, and making a stand against heart disease and stroke in the community.
Heart disease and stroke are the No 1 and No. 5 killers of both men and women in the United States.
Diseases of the heart is also the No. 1 killer in Roanoke and Roanoke County. Organizer Mandy Ball says however, the power of prevention is real. Eighty percent of heart disease and strokes are preventable by monitoring your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose and making heart-healthy lifestyle changes.
"We also tell the stories of survivors whether it is a stroke or a heart attack. We share those stories so people see how it reaches every person in the state of Virginia," Ball said.
Organizers say they hope to raise close to $200,000 for the American Heart Association.