National Wear Red Day,Feb. 6, 2004

To raise awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women, the American Heart Association has launched a national campaign called “Go Red for Women.” As part of the campaign, the organization has dedicated Friday, Feb. 6 National Wear Red Day. It is a day when people nationwide will take women’s health to heart by wearing red in support of raising awareness about heart disease.

First lady Laura Bush is also taking part in the Red Dress Project launch. The project will feature19 red dresses from America’s most prestigious designers on Feb. 21 in the Great Hall of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington, D.C. The red dress, first introduced in New York at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, serves as the national symbol of women and heart disease awareness with the message that “heart disease doesn’t care what you wear.”

Heart disease claims more women’s lives than the next seven causes of death combined – nearly 500,000 women’s lives a year. In fact, one in three women dies of heart disease. Heart disease also can lead to disability and a significantly decreased quality of life.

“Unfortunately, most women don’t know the heart truth, ”said Dr. Kathleen Tajeu, a community health specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. “Only about a third know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. Also, women don’t take their risk of heart disease seriously. Women often fail to make the connection between risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and their own chance of developing heart disease.”

The campaign is especially aimed at women ages 40 to 60, the period when a woman’s risk of heart disease starts to rise. But the messages are also important for younger women since heart disease develops gradually and can start at a young age — even in the teenage years. Older women have an interest, too. It’s never too late to prevent and control the risk factors for heart disease. Even those who have heart disease can improve their heart health and quality of life.

Source: Dr. Kathleen Tajeu, Community Health Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, (334) 844-2201.

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