Wear red Thursday to raise awareness about heart disease in women

Wear red on February 4 to raise awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The American Heart Association encourages everyone to wear red on February 4 to raise awareness that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women.

Women are juggling so much with work and family, and the pandemic has only exacerbated this. They’re experiencing lower physical and emotional wellness and heart disease deaths rose significantly last year, so it’s important that women remember to be proactive about their health.

“I was young when my grandmother passed away I was 16 my whole life my mom said high blood pressure but when my brother passed away at 47 it really kind of kicked his into gear so I went to proactively to my doctor and said I need to do more to find out about my health. Advocating for yourself as a woman, say I want these tests, especially if heart disease runs in your family,” said co-chair Nicole Leonard, Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch.

This year, the American Heart Association is urging people—especially women—to “reclaim their rhythm” to live longer and better by using the power of music to get moving and improve heart health!

“Even if it’s just for five minutes a day and you get up and put your favorite song on and get moving first thing in the morning. I know the mornings I do that, it makes my day a better day, and that’s really all that it takes,” said co-chair Jackie Sheffer, Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch. "Eating is really important. Just add one fruit or vegetable into your diet every day it was slowly but surely push out all the not-so-good things that we have in our diet."

So don’t forget to wear red on Thursday! You can also donate to the cause online. The annual Go Red for Women Luncheon, which brings together survivors and supporters, is set for November.