People all over the United States, including congressional members and TV journalists, donned red on Feb. 3 to show solidarity in building awareness of the threat of cardiovascular disease for women. Even national landmarks, like Niagara Falls and Graceland, shined red for the day.
The event, "Wear Red Day," was part of "Go Red for Women," an initiative of the American Heart Association (AHA). The group encouraged women to wear red and focus on their heart health by determining their blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index.
“Ask any stylist, job coach or dating expert, and they’ll tell you that red stands out,” the AHA website stated. “Some even say that the color red is a confidence booster … . Maybe that’s why we chose the color red to signify our fight against the No. 1 killer in women.”
Female lawmakers sporting red across Capitol Hill in Washington included Rep. Susan Brooks (R-Indiana) and Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Florida), who chair the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues. Additionally, several personalities appeared wearing red on high-profile television shows, such as “Good Morning America” and Wolf Blitzer’s “The Situation Room.”
It was the 14th year of the event.
“What I’m hoping we can do every single year is for women to become a little bit more connected to their hearts,” Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist and AHA spokesperson, said.
The AHA says that 80 percent of cardiac events and strokes might be preventable through lifestyle changes and education.
