February is American Heart
Month, and Friday, Feb. 3, is the third anniversary of the
American Heart Association’s (AHA) “Wear Red For Women Day,”
also known as National Wear Red Day or Go Red Day.
Go Red Day promotes heart
health and heart disease awareness and is a nationwide movement
to empower women to love — and save — their hearts through
healthy lifestyle choices and actions. OU-COMers are invited to
join together with hundreds of other companies and organizations
across America to celebrate the day.
“Heart disease is the number
one killer of women,” says Janice Smith, certified
medical assistant and Healthy Adult Project coordinator.
Heart disease takes the lives
of almost 500,000 women each year, nearly double the number of
women who die from every type of cancer in total.
“Many are unaware of these
statistics, so Go Red Day is a way to inform women of the facts
concerning heart disease. Women have just as many heart attacks
as men, especially after menopause,” says Smith.
“The whole campaign,” says Ruth
Dudding, health educator for Athens City County Health
Department, “is used by the American Heart Association to raise
awareness of heart disease. It encourages women to take care of
their heart’s health.
“The symptoms of heart disease
are not always the same for women as for men. Men might
experience it as a crushing pain to the chest. For women
symptoms might be nausea, pain in the neck or shoulders or
difficulty breathing.”
Go Red Day has its own dress
code, and on this day, you should “Go Red” in your own way. Wear
your favorite red clothes or accessory — a red blouse, a red
dress pin, red lipstick — carry a fabulous red handbag or sport
a red tie and red socks to show some heart for heart disease
prevention. And men, show your support by wearing something red,
too!
“People are taking the campaign
into their own homes and offices. Businesses use the day to
raise money for the AHA. Part of the campaign is to raise
awareness among health-care providers of the risks of heart
disease for women,” says Dudding.
Want to do more? You can help the American Heart Association
support the ongoing research and education about women and heart
disease with a donation.
To promote heart health during
February for both women and men, the Healthy Adult Program will
be holding cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose screenings
Feb. 3 and Feb. 24 from 8 to 11 a.m. in the ground floor of
Grosvenor, adjacent to offices of Community Services Programs
(CSP). The Health Adult Project is one of CSP’s premier
programs.
“In recent years, we have
screened typically 80 people at our two-day clinic,” says Smith.
She is looking forward to screening more during this month’s
two-day clinic.
OU-COMers can make appointments
for a screening by calling (593-9127) or
emailing Smith. Protect your heart’s health and contact
Smith today!
And on National Wear Red Day,
Go Red in your own fashion to show your support for women
and the fight against heart disease.
Let your heart shine bright
red, and help save women’s lives.
- 30 -
News for
the week of Jan
23 – Jan 28
