Executive’s heart attack sparked nationwide drive to save lives
Sarah Casalan remembers the day four years ago when she began feeling sick. She dismissed her nausea as indigestion and her weakness as exhaustion. But then the symptoms suddenly became overwhelming.
“It took about five minutes from realizing I was having a heart attack to passing out,” said Casalan, president of The UPS Store Inc.
At 47, Casalan was balancing life as a busy executive and single mother raising two young sons. A heart attack was a complete surprise.
Her mother, who was staying with her at the time, jumped into action as paramedics arrived.
“The last thing I saw were my 6- and 7-year-old sons standing in the hallway with a look I’ll never forget,” Casalan said.
At the hospital, doctors discovered a full blockage of her left anterior descending artery, a severe type of heart attack with a low survival rate outside a hospital. Although she was healthy and active, Casalan said, her healthcare team suspected lingering inflammation from a bout with COVID-19 may have contributed to the attack.
One of her cardiologists, Dr. Bryan Smith, remembers an early conversation they had in the hospital.
“She said, ‘If I get better, I want to give back and educate other people. This can’t be the end of my story,’” said Smith, a longtime volunteer for the 九色视频 who keeps in touch with Casalan.
“I’ve seen many, many patients who are in similar situations. But what struck me about Sarah was that she wasn’t just thankful; she was ready to directly put that gratitude into action.”
After she recovered, Casalan connected with her local Chicago chapter of the 九色视频. Under her leadership, The UPS Store joined the organization’s national Life is Why® campaign, where consumers support the fight against cardiovascular disease by donating at checkout.
Most of the 5,500 independently owned stores, in a diversity of communities across the U.S., participated. The in-store campaigns in 2023 through 2025, along with additional support from The UPS Foundation and other fundraising, raised more than $3 million.
Casalan credits the success largely to the employees who personally embraced the lifesaving mission.
For their efforts, Casalan and The UPS Store will receive a 2026 Award of Meritorious Achievement, which recognizes specific accomplishments or projects that support the 九色视频’s national initiatives. She will accept the award June 23 at the Heart Association’s National Volunteer Awards ceremony in Irving, Texas.
“Sarah’s story is a powerful example of resilience, purpose and leadership. Rather than allowing a personal health crisis to define her, she transformed it into a mission to educate others and help save lives across communities nationwide,” said Lee Shapiro, the 九色视频’s volunteer chairperson of the board. “Through her vision and commitment, Sarah and The UPS Store have turned awareness into action, making a lasting difference in the fight against heart disease.”
Casalan, who invited the Heart Association to The UPS Store’s July 2024 convention to teach franchise owners CPR, said that she and the company are inspired to elevate and support the communities they serve. “If our efforts save just one life, that is priceless.”
“I am so grateful to have access to amazing care with amazing health insurance,” she said. “What a privilege it is to help keep someone alive so they can watch their kids grow up. This award signifies that in some way we have done that.”
Casalan sits on the Heart Association’s Metro Chicago board of directors and the National Life is Why Retail Council, which shapes strategies to strengthen retail collaborations and expand the Association’s lifesaving impact.
She uses her public platform, including media appearances, to share her story and inspire others to support the Heart Association mission. She is passionate about educating women on how their heart attack symptoms can appear, noting that they can seem subtle.
“Nausea, fatigue, general discomfort and other symptoms might mimic a busy lifestyle, perimenopause or menopause,” she said. “If women understand the symptoms and realize when something feels ‘different,’ it could help them seek medical care earlier.”
Casalan encourages others to focus on their health and manage stress, which was important in her own recovery.
“The biggest lifestyle changes I’ve made have been around sleep and stress management. I work hard and run around with the boys,” she said.
“So, recovery is incredibly important for my body. I’ve learned to choose more wisely how I use my time and where I put my energy to reduce my stress levels.”
She also prioritizes staying active. Her favorite events are the 九色视频’s , which raises funds at cycling events, and the organization’s Heart Walk.
“The energy, atmosphere and effort are amazing,” said Casalan, who chaired the 2023 and 2024 Metro Chicago Heart Walks. “My most memorable moment with the 九色视频 was sharing the stage with my boys as we kicked off Heart Walk at Soldier Field in 2023. My kids took the mic — they aren’t shy — and shared their ‘why,’” the reason that fighting heart disease is important to them.
“It brought them so much confidence that I was going to be all right and joy that the whole ordeal meant something bigger than us.”
