For Immediate Release
February 10, 2014
Contact Information

Toiya Honore
214-706-1456
toiya.honore@heart.org

Mara Rodriguez
214-706-1508
mara.rodriguez@heart.org

(BPRW) Women "Go Red" with the American Heart Association

(BLACK PR WIRE) – DALLAS, Feb. 10 – February is a month for matters of the heart across America, and it’s even a greater matter for African-American women, who are at greatest risk. The American Heart Association is impacting the health of women by saving 330 lives a day. Every February, American Heart Month, millions of women participate in the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement to increase awareness and inspire action in support of the estimated 43 million women affected by their No. 1 killer, heart disease.

African-American women are the most affected by the disease. Research shows that the leading cause of death triples among black women, killing nearly 50,000 every year. Given the shocking statistics, Go Red takes pride in commemorating its 10th anniversary of targeted programs, which includes efforts to close the gap among diverse women and decrease heart disease deaths by 34 percent in all women.

Like Keisha Hawes, heart attack survivor at age 31, many women never thought heart disease could happen to them - consequently, ignoring or downplaying the signs. Keisha says, "This was my warning sign that I needed to make big changes. Now I have the opportunity to do things differently rather than just dropping dead one day." Don’t let tragedy be your drive to “do things differently.” Let the stories of real survivors lead you to be proactive so that we can, together, prevent tragedy from happening.

Join the 56.6 million people who visit the Go Red for Women website, and most importantly, join the nearly 2 million who have registered to take action in the movement! While Go Red has made a remarkable difference, for over a decade now, the fact is that 1,100 women are still dying of heart disease, daily. It’s critical to know your risks, live healthfully and get involved, today! For more information, visit www.GoRedForWomen.org.