Nearly twice as many women in the United States die of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases as from all forms of cancer, including breast cancer, according to the American Heart Association.
The mission of the Go Red for Women Luncheon is to educate women about their risk of heart disease and stroke, to celebrate the leaders in the community that bolster this effort, and combine the seriousness of the message behind the program with the enjoyment of this event.
On April 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center, the eighth celebration of the Go Red for Women Luncheon will attempt to spread the word about women’s No. 1 killer.
Emily Daily, the senior regional director in the Chatta-nooga office of the American Heart Association, says what they are finding is that so many women are unaware of their risk.
When asking women what their No. 1 risk was, they would hear things like breast cancer, which is important, Daily says, but is not the top killer of women. This was how the cause to educate women about this risk came about.
“What we are trying to do is empower women and create an environment where they can learn about heart disease and stroke, and that is their No. 1 threat,” Daily says.
Because the risks women are facing are so important to recognize, the Go Red for Women campaign is multi-faceted. There are the celebratory luncheons in every single market, where women get together to fundraise for the educational programming of Go Red. Then there are things like the BetterU program, an online 12-week exercise program free of charge to these women. The American Heart Association Web site also provides a multitude of resources such as heart-healthy recipes.
Within the educational aspect of Go Red, Daily says the key idea to remember is that women’s symptoms for heart disease and stroke are so much different than mens.
“They are often a little bit more subtle, and for that, we have to make sure that women understand their numbers, that they visit their physicians, that they ask the right questions, and that they stand up for themselves,” Daily says.
Symptoms ranging from headache, tension in the back, and slight tingling down the arm could be heart attack triggers that women mistake as just being tired or stressed.
Daily says, “Women have a really imperative gift in that we know our bodies, and what I am trying to make sure is that these women understand that they listen to it, trust yourself if you think something is wrong, and go to the doctor.”
She encourages women to follow the “Dial don’t drive” slogan in remembering to call an ambulance if they think there is a problem and not wait in an emergency room, because time is everything in a heart attack. She says that the longer a person goes without correct treatment during a heart attack, the more damage is done.
Women should also know their numbers – cholesterol, blood pressure, weight and blood sugar – which can provide them with a frame of reference for their risk.
The Go Red for Women Luncheon provides education for women, but also a good time, Daily says. When the doors open at 9 a.m., there will be three 30-minute breakout sessions that will feature the silent auction and a photo booth where women can make healthy lifestyle promises to themselves and take their pictures home.
When the main ballroom doors open around noon, the luncheon portion of the event will feature a fashion show of all the local fashion boutiques in Chattanooga. The keynote speaker for this year’s event is comedian Diana Jordon, who provides laughs as well as information on women and health issues. Her speech will be followed by the speeches of female survivors who have been affected by heart disease and will provide compelling stories to bring the message home.
Daily says another important part of this luncheon is recognizing the leadership that’s involved with the Chattanooga Heart Association. The Circle of Red Society is a group of women that are the executive leadership team for the event and “make our world go round,” Daily says.
“They are literally the fundraisers and the community awareness ambassadors. They are out there talking to their networks and their friends and their families and saying, ‘This is a problem. You need to understand what this is about. Do you know what Go Red is?’”
The Chattanooga Heart Association also works to create awareness of heart disease and stroke in all Americans through some of their other events including the Chattanooga Heart Ball and the Tennessee Valley Heart Walk. Within the youth market, they conduct the Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart programs to educate children and combat the growing obesity problem.
Comcast is the partner for all these events, and works to push this message out into the community.
The company also works to spread the message of National Red Day, the first Friday in February, which is a big awareness campaign for the Heart Association during February’s Heart Month initiatives. In this, the Heart Association works to inform companies about the importance of the issue, to encourage them to wear red, and provide donations to support the cause.
There are multiple opportunities available to help further the cause of education about heart disease and stroke, from joining planning committees, executive leadership committees and mission committees for every event the Heart Association has. Contacting Emily Daily at 423-763-4403 for a meeting to discuss individual interests in helping this cause is the first step. Together, this community can combat heart disease and stroke
for everyone. v