Published May 2004

Get heart smart at luncheon

SCBJ Staff

The American Heart Association hopes to do with the color red what the American Cancer Society has done with pink: make it a symbol of awareness.

In the case of the American Cancer Society, the pink ribbon has become a symbol of solidarity for breast cancer awareness and support. For the American Heart Association, red is the color for women and heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women over the age of 25.

In January, the association launched Go Red for Women, a multi-year, national campaign sponsored by Macy’s and Pfizer that calls on women to take charge of their health, specifically recognizing and reducing their risk for heart disease. The campaign’s logo: a little red dress.

“We need a bold color like red to draw attention to heart disease, which is women’s greatest health threat,” Dr. Augustus Grant, president of the American Heart Association, said during the campaign’s launch. “Red symbolizes women’s power to take control of their health and passion for the women whose lives have been affected.”

As part of the campaign, Feb.6 was designated “National Wear Red Day for Women” as a show of support for all women who have been touched by cardiovascular disease, which kills more than half a million women each year, according to the American Heart Association.

Locally, a Go Red for Women Luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 21 at the Edmonds Floral Center, 201 Fourth Ave. N., in Edmonds, with the goal of educating attendees about heart disease and stroke and how they can reduce their risk of both.

Speakers include Dr. Sarah Speck, a cardiologist who serves as director of the Swedish Heart Institute Center for Cardiac Health and Wellness, and Cyndi Correnti, a heart-attack survivor and longtime Edmonds resident and business owner.

Tickets are $25 per person. Call 206-632-6881 or 800-562-6718 to purchase tickets or reserve tables.

Bon-Macy’s and Stevens Hospital are event sponsors.

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