National Wear Red Day – calls attention to No. 1 health threat for women

Despite the devasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, cardiovascular disease remains the leading killer of women in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association’s newly released 2021 Heart Disease & Stroke Statistics.

Heart disease kills one woman approximately every 80 seconds, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined, and cardiac events are on the rise in young women in their 20s. At the same time, recent market research has indicated that the youngest, most diverse groups of women are the least aware that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health threat.

Women (and men) are encouraged to “wear red and give” as part of the American Heart Association’s signature movement, Go Red for Women, nationally sponsored by CVS Health and supported by Big Lots.

“We’re now seeing cardiovascular disease affecting younger women, and women from Black and Hispanic communities are disproportionally impacted by heart disease and stroke,” said Mitch Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA, FAAN, president of the American Heart Association and professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City. “Now, more than ever, we need to ensure all women have access to education about heart attack and stroke warning signs, as well as proper diagnoses and treatment when they present with symptoms – regardless of their age or background. Losing even one woman to heart disease or stroke is a tragedy.”

The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement encourages people to take action through the month of February by:

Wearing red on National Wear Red Day, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease. The iconic Red Dress pin and other apparel are available at ShopHeart.org.
Making a donation to support the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association at WearRedDay.org. Big Lots Foundation will match online donations on National Wear Red Day, up to $333,333.
Visiting CVS Health and making a donation at the register until March 6. Donations can also be made online at www.CVSHealth.com/GoRed.
Signing up to participate in the lifesaving Research Goes Red initiative, a joint collaboration between the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement and Verily’s Project Baseline.
Joining the conversation by using #WearRedDay, #HeartMonth and #GoRedforWomen on social media.