The American Heart Association created the Go Red for Women campaign during National Heart Month to bring attention to the fact that heart disease kills more women than men each year and that many women may be unaware they are at risk for heart disease.
National Wear Red Day® is the first Friday of each February and in the 10 years of this campaign the American Heart Association has found that 23 percent more Americans are more aware of how women are affected by heart disease. There are many ways to get involved in Go Red For Women—either by wearing red or helping raise money for research or scheduling a checkup for yourself.
Wear Red
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 4 female deaths. The CDC also states that, “almost two-thirds of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms.” Heart disease is sometimes called the “Silent Killer” for this reason.
There are risk factors for heart disease and these include high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking. Lifestyle choices such as excessive alcohol use, a poor diet, being physically inactive, and obesity, also put people at increased risk for heart disease.
The goal of this campaign is to educate women about the cardiovascular risk and provide information about they can live healthier lives and reduce their risks for heart disease. The Go Red For Women website has a place for donations that will go towards medical research and community programs to benefit heart health.
Anyone can participate in National Wear Red Day®. Visit the Go Red For Women website to get details on fundraising and raising awareness in your own community.