Sally & Bill Soter

“I am a true believer in making a difference,” Sarah “Sally” Soter said in explanation of why she and her husband, William J. “Bill” Soter, are serving as co-chairs of “The Power to Change Lives” campaign. “There is such a need for research, particularly when it comes to women’s heart health. This campaign will benefit not only women’s health, but so many other concerns as well.” Sally is a member of the OSU Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital Board of Trustees and a former member of the OSU Medical Center Board of Trustees.

Sally’s interest in women’s heart health began with her own experience at OSU Medical Center. “Dr. William Abraham provided excellent care. Not only did he treat my atrial fibrillation, but he also listened to my concerns. We talked about how the warning signs of a heart attack are different in women, about how so little research has been directed toward women’s heart health, and the reasons many women do not understand that heart disease, the number one killer of women, is their greatest health risk,” she explained. “We need to educate women.”

This conversation resulted in the Soters’ gift of $2 million to create the Sarah Ross Soter Endowed Chair in Women’s Cardiovascular Health to support a nationally prominent physician-researcher specializing in women’s heart care. Sally later founded the OSU Women’s Cardiovascular Health Advisory Council, a group of community leaders dedicated to advancing women’s cardiovascular health.

Bill Soter said that the OSU Medical Center has grown in recent years and “The Power to Change Lives” campaign will continue that upward spiral. “I’m just delighted to be at Sally’s side in everything she does, especially something as important as this,” he noted.

The Soters are Buckeyes through and through, as both Sally and Bill’s parents are alumni of Ohio State. Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1957 and is the author of several books; Sally attended Ohio State before completing her studies at the New York School of Interior Design and later establishing a fine art gallery in Columbus.