NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY IS FEB. 5

Are you seeing red? Red, as in Go Red for Women?

 On Friday, February 5, National Wear Red Day, you should  see lots of people wearing red to call attention to the fact that women – not just men – die from heart attacks. In fact, you may not have known it, but heart disease is the number one killer of women.

National Wear Red Day, a program of the American Heart Association, is spreading like a California wildfire.

How did it begin? In 1997, the American Heart Association launched its groundbreaking “Take Wellness To Heart” awareness campaign created by women for women. In February 2004, the association launched Go Red For Women – extending the effort that began in 1997. The primary goal was to educate women that heart disease is their leading cause of death, a fact that most women still do not take to heart.

So National Wear Red Day is the one day each year dedicated to building awareness of risk, and raising funds for research and education on behalf of women everywhere. But it’s not just women who are participating.

Over the past two years, 10,000 companies showed their support for the Go Red For Women movement. To generate awareness and provide fund-raising opportunities, they allowed employees to pay $5 each to wear something red with their jeans to work. All proceeds from these events went to the American Heart Association.

Usually, what you wear doesn’t matter all that much. But on National Wear Red Day, it’s important, because wearing red makes a statement about the number one killer of American women of all ages: cardiovascular disease.

Participating is fun and it’s easy. Wearing a red tie, dress, shirt, or sweater will call attention to the Go Red For Women movement and to the fact that too many women die each year because they’re unaware of stroke and heart attack warning signs.

Lots of times people aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help, especially women. It’s a known fact that women’s heart attack symptoms are often different from those suffered by men.

Many heart attacks are sudden and intense, but more likely than not an attack will start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes. Or the pain goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Symptoms sometimes include discomfort in other areas of the upper body, such as in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. There could also be shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. Other signs might include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.    

While women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort, women are more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain. So, even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1.

February is Heart Month and wearing red on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, is a great way to begin the month. Wearing red  will show people you care, as well as remind them to learn more about cardiovascular disease. It just might save the life of someone you love!

For more information, visit www.goredforwomen.org. 

To print a handy bookmark showing Heart Attack Warning Symptoms, click this:  WEARREDDAYBOOKMARK1COL