Kathleen Goss knows the toll heart disease can take on person and a family well, having lost both her father at age 49 and her sister at age 42 to massive heart attacks, and in 2006 discovering three 99% blockages in her own left anterior descending artery. Successful surgeries and lifestyle changes mean she’s healthy today.
That’s how and why Kathleen will once again walk the runway at the free Go Red Fashion Show & Family Health Festival on Saturday, February 17, 2024 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.at Bridgewater Commons. The event is presented by Bridgewater Commons and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, in recognition of February’s Heart Month. Kathleen, who received her care at RWJUH Somerset, also participated in the center’s fashion show last year.
“Know your family history and listen to your body,” Kathleen said, adding that to keep her repaired arteries healthy, she eats properly, walks and runs regularly and maintains a 70-pound weight loss.
As in years past, Bridgewater Commons and RWJUH Somerset are joining forces to present the health-focused family festival on the Lower Level from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and an exciting, red-styled fashion show, hosted by Stylist Leslie Patrizio, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Center Court. The fashion show will feature heart disease survivors and heath care practitioners modeling clothing provided by the shopping center’s stores including Athleta, Bella Bridal, Bloomingdale’s, Chico’s, Janie and Jack, Lululemon and Macy’s. Hair and makeup will be provided by the center’s newly opened Tara Beauty Salon & Spa.
RWJUH Somerset cardiologists Sharan Mahal, MD and Sanjukta Sanyal, MD will provide information about how to promote your heart health. Seating is free and first come, first serve.
“Stories like Kathleen’s are a major reason that our Go Red Fashion Show and educational activities have become a highlight of Bridgewater Commons’ calendar,” said Tom Kovacic, Marketing and Business Development Director at Bridgewater Commons. “We’re thrilled to have the expertise and assistance of RWJUH Somerset, and even more so the support of the tenants who will be offering their services and displaying their amazing apparel at the fashion show and offering special promotions and activities for our shoppers.”
Family festival activities will include children’s fitness sessions, friendship bracelet workshops, heart healthy nutrition, a Teddy Bear Clinic and face painting. Event guests will also be able to enter to win a $500 shopping spree to any of the participating shops in the fashion show and receive access to special offers at the mall.
Education and health promotion are critical parts of the partnership between RWJUH Somerset and Bridgewater Commons. The hospital sponsors a Heartchecker kiosk, which provides free blood pressure screenings, on the center’s second level. They also partner on a HealthHike Walking Program, which provides a climate-controlled environment for walkers seven days a week. Health education programs and screenings are offered each month free of charge to walkers. Steven Georgeson, MD, a cardiologist with RWJUH Somerset, also holds a monthly “Walk with A Doc” at the mall. The hospital and the center have also partnered on Go Pink at the Commons each October to promote breast cancer awareness.
“We are excited to partner again with Bridgewater Commons on this event to help promote greater awareness of the importance of heart health,” said Patrick Delaney, Chief Administrative Officer, RWJUH Somerset. “No matter what your age, you should have a plan for your heart and talk to your doctor about steps you can take to prevent heart disease.”
The hospital was recognized this month by Healthgrades as one of the top cardiology programs in New Jersey. It recently completed the final phase of its five-year Cardiology Services expansion project, which included renovations to its Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and 2-East and 2-West cardiology inpatient units and relocation of its Cardiac Diagnostic Testing Department to renovated space on the hospital’s second floor. In addition to its inpatient care and diagnostic and treatment services, RWJUH Somerset also offers a three-phase cardiac rehabilitation program located in Hillsborough.
As in previous years, Bridgewater Township Mayor Matthew Moench is also scheduled to attend and speak at Bridgewater Commons’ Go Red festival.
“My family and I are proud to help support this important event, which is literally so critical to the health of our community,” Mayor Moench said. “I can’t wait to see my daughters enjoying the runway as we did last year while we learn more about our own wellness.”
Located along Interstate 287 at the intersections of Route 22 and Route 202/206, the 1.2 million-square-foot Bridgewater Commons is Somerset County’s largest shopping, dining and entertainment destination.
The complex also includes The Village at Bridgewater Commons, a unique, open-air shopping district with more than 10 retailers and food and beverage locations including LOFT, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Shake Shack, and Starbucks.
About Bridgewater Commons
Located along the I-287 corridor at the intersection of Routes 22 and 202/206 in Bridgewater, New Jersey, Bridgewater Commons is a more than 1.2 million-square-foot shopping center serving the Northern N.J. region. The cornerstone of its community’s commercial sector since 1988 and boasting an array of over 150 leading retailers, premiere restaurants and convenient service brands, Bridgewater Commons is home to anchor department stores Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s; iconic retailers including Apple, J. Crew, Lucky Brand Jeans, lululemon athletica, Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma; along with a collection of restaurants, eateries and entertainment venues such as Seasons 52, The Cheesecake Factory, Redstone American Grill and AMC Dine-In Theatres, among many more. Further enhancing the property is The Village at Bridgewater Commons, a unique, open-air shopping district with over 10 retailers and food and beverage locations including White House Black Market, LOFT, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Shake Shack and Starbucks for visitors to explore and enjoy. Bridgewater Commons is an IREM® Certified Sustainable Property. For more information including a full store directory, operating hours, driving directions and more, please visit www.bridgewatercommons.com.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset
Located in Somerville, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is a nationally accredited, 339-bed regional hospital providing comprehensive emergency, medical/surgical, behavioral health and rehabilitative services to central New Jersey residents. As a designated teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the hospital maintains a family medicine residency program with 21 residents.
RWJUH Somerset has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety including the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence. As the first hospital in New Jersey to offer primary health care services for the LGBTQIA community, RWJUH Somerset has been honored as a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign.
The Steeplechase Cancer Center at RWJUH Somerset has been designated as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. RWJBarnabas Health and RWJUH Somerset in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - bring a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. For more information about RWJUH Somerset, visit www.rwjbh.org/somerset.
About Pacific Retail Capital Partners
Pacific Retail Capital Partners (PRCP) is one of the nation’s premier retail operating groups of large open-air and enclosed shopping centers, with more than $3.0 billion in assets under management across the United States. Based in Southern California, the company’s portfolio totals 24 properties encompassing over 20 million square feet. With a highly experienced team that has a proven track record of generating value its stakeholders, PRCP is dedicated to evolving real estate for the next generation by working with the communities it serves to design master plans that transform its assets into high-performing mixed-use destinations. The vertically-integrated company provides end-to-end sourcing, assessment, underwriting, valuing, developing, marketing, design and asset management services. To learn more visit pacificretail.com or follow on social media at: Facebook: @PacificRetailCapitalPartners and Instagram: @PacificRetail