The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement celebrates the energy, passion and power of women to band together to wipe out heart disease and stroke. Too few women realize that cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women – killing nearly 500,000 women each year and claiming more women’s lives each year than the next five causes of death combined, including breast cancer.

Think about yourself, your mother and grandmother. Your sisters, daughters, aunts and nieces. Your friends and co-workers. Now think about these facts: one in every three women dies of cardiovascular disease. And one woman will die from heart disease almost every minute this year. Until more women are aware of this deadly – but often preventable – disease, these statistics are not likely to change.

Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the country, the color red and the red dress now stand for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives. The simple “love your heart” platform that began in February 2004 continues to mobilize women across America to become a part of Go Red For Women and engages women – and the men who love them – to embrace the cause.

The American Heart Association invites you to take preventative measures by joining Go Red For Women online at www.goredforwomen.org to connect with women nationwide who share your passion to prevent heart disease.

By joining the Go Red For Women movement, you become part of the fight against heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women in America. Your involvement in the movement can help save lives of mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, grandmothers, best friends and other women just like you!

Sign-up is free, and you’ll get these great Go Red For Women benefits:

• A red dress pin you can wear proudly to show you’re part of the movement
• A monthly e-newsletter filled with heart-healthy tips, events and programs, news, recipes, promotions and more
• Access to exclusive merchandise on Shop Go Red (www.shopgored.com) with proceeds benefiting Go Red For Women
• Access to the American Heart Association’s message boards, where you can connect and share the ways you Go Red, including favorite motivational tips and recipes
• Free subscription to Heart Insight magazine, the American Heart Association’s quarterly publication that gives you authoritative, practical advice on cardiovascular health

In addition to signing up for the movement, there are many Go Red For Women events in Memphis where you can join other women in the fight against heart disease and stroke:

National Wear Red Day - February 6
Wear red in your own fashion, and help fight the No. 1 killer of women – heart disease. Ask your business to participate by allowing employees to donate $5 to the AHA to wear red and jeans on Friday.

Sixth Annual Go Red For Women Luncheon - April 25
Memphis Botanical Gardens - Mona Sappenfield, Chair
Get decked out in red and celebrate the vitality and energy of women while raising awareness and funds for local heart disease and stroke research. This year’s luncheon features Live Red, Look Red and Learn Red boutiques, a delicious lunch and more.

For more information on how you can be involved, visit www.goredforwomen.org or call 901-383-5400.