Portrait by ChiChi Ubiña

YWCA Greenwich will be holding its 8th Annual Women Who Inspire Awards to recognize exceptional women in our community. YWCA Greenwich’s Women Who Inspire Awards was established to recognize and celebrate outstanding women who have excelled in philanthropic, professional, and volunteer pursuits. Importantly, these honorees have enriched the lives of many in our community. This event acknowledges the changes in society that have led to the fluidity of work/life pursuits for women of today.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Annie Slocum is a senior at Sacred Heart Greenwich from Pleasantville, New York. Growing up, Annie was a competitive swimmer. She swam 5-6 days a week and qualified for the Junior Olympics at age 10. However, at age 13 she was diagnosed unexpectedly with a life-threatening blood clot after a routine swim practice.

The blood clot was caused by Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which can affect athletes who repeatedly lift their arms above their heads and occurs when nerves or blood vessels are compressed in the shoulder area. There are three types of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: neurogenic, arterial, and the cause of Annie’s blood clot, venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Since then, Annie made it her goal to increase blood clot awareness and education about Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Annie has worked with top researchers to analyze MRI data on factors that contribute to the development of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Together they’ve completed data analysis and are in the process of publishing their research. Annie has worked with the National Blood Clot Alliance Advisory Institute to advocate among Congressional members on the importance of increased funding and appropriation language.

Beyond advocating for increased government funding, she actively fundraises through her school and extracurricular activities to support the National Blood Clot Alliance’s mission.

As a lover of plants, she created a charitable organization called Pots for Clots and raised over $11,000 for the National Blood Clot Alliance, providing succulents and amaryllis bulbs to anyone who donates. In addition, she ran the New York City Half Marathon in 2024 to support the National Blood Clot Alliance and Team Stop-the-Clot. This spring, she will return to Washington, D.C., to speak with members of Congress, continuing her advocacy for blood clot awareness and education