Hometown Healthcare CEO to Lead 2025 Heart Ball
November 22, 2024
Hometown Healthcare CEO leads 2025 Capital Region Heart Ball
Event brings back live music and dancing; has a masquerade theme
ALBANY– Casey Toomajian of Wynantskill was surprised to learn that he was at serious risk for heart disease, and wants to raise awareness for more people who might also be at risk. To do that, he’s chairing the 2025 Capital Region Heart Ball on Friday, Feb. 28, from 6 to 11 p.m., at the Albany Capital Center, 55 Eagle St., Albany.
The gala will raise funds to help the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, continue to fight heart disease and stroke as it launches its second century.
Toomajian, the CEO of Hometown Healthcare, a respiratory home medical & care management company, first became involved with the Heart Ball as part of the executive leadership team for last year’s event.
“From a place of paranoia, I went and got a Coronary Calcium Score,” Toomajian said. “I discovered I had significant calcified plaque in the artery that could lead to a widowmaker heart attack. I was shocked as I didn’t (and still don’t) have any symptoms. At the same time, the role of chair for the Heart Ball became available. I felt like I had to take it.”
He also made some lifestyle changes. Knowing that heart disease runs in his family, Toomajian, on his cardiologist’s advice, eats a low-carb diet and added strength training to his regular workout regimen.
At the Heart Ball, Toomajian has a second goal, in addition to raising awareness about heart disease.
“I want to send a message of hope; there is a real possibility we can create a world where heart attack and stroke is mostly avoided, ”he said.
His own interest in heart health led him to meet with Dr. Arthur Agatston, whose scientific research led to the Agatston score, the standard for assessing the severity of coronary artery disease. Dr. Agatston is also the author of “The South Beach Diet.”
“The gap between where we are and where we can be is smallest relative to the other big diseases that take us out,” Toomajian said. “We can soon be in a place where people are no longer abruptly robbed of their precious time with the people they love due to heart disease.”
Toomajian sees a connection to heart disease in his own business at Hometown Healthcare, a respiratory home medical equipment company.
“All our patients are suffocating, whether it’s sleep apnea or COPD, and our aim is to alleviate that, to try to keep them extend and improve their lives,” Toomajian said. “These diseases don’t’ live in a vacuum, and the strain on the heart from them is great.”
Hometown Healthcare grew out of Toomajian’s family’s business, The Watervliet Pharmacy, founded in 1953. Toomajian and his brother eventually sold the pharmacy part of the business to CDPHP, and continued the respiratory home medical equipment part.
Born in Santa Monica, Calif., Toomajian grew up in Brunswick, and met his wife Tara, of Pioneer Bank, while both were students at SUNY Potsdam. They have two children, Stella and Logan.
Why come to the Heart Ball?
“Of course, to fight heart disease, but for a simple reason, too: it’s going to be a blast,” Toomajian said. “There’s a masquerade theme, and we’re bringing back live music and dancing. It will be an amazing event.”
Toomajian also expressed gratitude to his executive leadership team, who have been working with him to make the event a success. That team includes:
Event brings back live music and dancing; has a masquerade theme
ALBANY– Casey Toomajian of Wynantskill was surprised to learn that he was at serious risk for heart disease, and wants to raise awareness for more people who might also be at risk. To do that, he’s chairing the 2025 Capital Region Heart Ball on Friday, Feb. 28, from 6 to 11 p.m., at the Albany Capital Center, 55 Eagle St., Albany.
The gala will raise funds to help the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, continue to fight heart disease and stroke as it launches its second century.
Toomajian, the CEO of Hometown Healthcare, a respiratory home medical & care management company, first became involved with the Heart Ball as part of the executive leadership team for last year’s event.
“From a place of paranoia, I went and got a Coronary Calcium Score,” Toomajian said. “I discovered I had significant calcified plaque in the artery that could lead to a widowmaker heart attack. I was shocked as I didn’t (and still don’t) have any symptoms. At the same time, the role of chair for the Heart Ball became available. I felt like I had to take it.”
He also made some lifestyle changes. Knowing that heart disease runs in his family, Toomajian, on his cardiologist’s advice, eats a low-carb diet and added strength training to his regular workout regimen.
At the Heart Ball, Toomajian has a second goal, in addition to raising awareness about heart disease.
“I want to send a message of hope; there is a real possibility we can create a world where heart attack and stroke is mostly avoided, ”he said.
His own interest in heart health led him to meet with Dr. Arthur Agatston, whose scientific research led to the Agatston score, the standard for assessing the severity of coronary artery disease. Dr. Agatston is also the author of “The South Beach Diet.”
“The gap between where we are and where we can be is smallest relative to the other big diseases that take us out,” Toomajian said. “We can soon be in a place where people are no longer abruptly robbed of their precious time with the people they love due to heart disease.”
Toomajian sees a connection to heart disease in his own business at Hometown Healthcare, a respiratory home medical equipment company.
“All our patients are suffocating, whether it’s sleep apnea or COPD, and our aim is to alleviate that, to try to keep them extend and improve their lives,” Toomajian said. “These diseases don’t’ live in a vacuum, and the strain on the heart from them is great.”
Hometown Healthcare grew out of Toomajian’s family’s business, The Watervliet Pharmacy, founded in 1953. Toomajian and his brother eventually sold the pharmacy part of the business to CDPHP, and continued the respiratory home medical equipment part.
Born in Santa Monica, Calif., Toomajian grew up in Brunswick, and met his wife Tara, of Pioneer Bank, while both were students at SUNY Potsdam. They have two children, Stella and Logan.
Why come to the Heart Ball?
“Of course, to fight heart disease, but for a simple reason, too: it’s going to be a blast,” Toomajian said. “There’s a masquerade theme, and we’re bringing back live music and dancing. It will be an amazing event.”
Toomajian also expressed gratitude to his executive leadership team, who have been working with him to make the event a success. That team includes:
- Jamison Flora, Community Bank, N.A.
- Paul Madelone, Iron Tree Financial
- Brian O’Grady, CDPHP
- Brian Sano, National Grid
- Peter Semenza, St. Peter’s Health Partners
- Peter Connolly, The Mercedes-Benz Center at Keeler Motor Car Company
- Carm Basile, CDTA
- Jaime Kazlo, CDTA
- Kyle Wessels, Brown and Brown of New York
Contact:
Katherine McCarthy, Sr. Dir. Marketing Communications
katherine.mccarthy@heart.org, 518-366-7920
