Mimi and I are proudly supporting Go Red For Women’s National Wear Red Day today.
Why? It’s simple: Heart disease is the No.1 killer of American women, claiming the lives of more women each year than all forms of cancer combined. It’s a sobering statistic.
I’ve been lucky – my family really hasn’t been touched by heart disease. But it doesn’t mean I haven’t been affected. Like most of you, I know someone (whether it’s a colleague or a friend’s aunt or one of my girlfriends from college) whose life has been significantly impacted by heart disease.
Yet only one in five American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat, and we are less likely to call 9-1-1 for ourselves when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack than we are for someone else.
Why is that? Is it because we’re so busy taking care of our families, our parents – everyone but ourselves – that our own health falls to the bottom of the list? Check out this public service announcement starring Elizabeth Banks. Aside from the fact that she’s having a heart attack, she looks awfully familiar …
But we are making progress! Since the first National Wear Red Day 10 years ago, tremendous strides have been made in the fight against heart disease in women, including:
- 21% fewer women dying from heart disease
- 23% more women aware that it’s their No. 1 health threat
- Publishing of gender-specific results, established differences in symptoms and responses to medications and women-specific guidelines for prevention and treatment
- Legislation to help end gender disparities
However, there’s so much more to be done. Hundreds of thousands of women still die from heart disease each year. It’s time we stand together to fight for our mothers, our sisters, our daughters … and ourselves.
So join me and Mimi today. It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing crimson or oxblood or burgundy or scarlet. Helping to raise awareness is as simple as putting on your favorite piece of red clothing to remind those in your community that heart disease is a fight no woman, or man, should have to fight alone.
And remember: The fight for women’s health doesn’t end today. Visit Go Red For Women to learn how you can help, whether it’s a financial donation, volunteering your time, contacting your lawmakers about the need to address critical heart and stroke issues, or attending a local American Heart Association event.
Jen says
Heart disease has touched my family in so many heart breaking ways (no pun intended). I am in ! As a redhead, I don’t have many reds to choose from but I am digging through my drawers to see what I can come up with. SO glad you posted this …