COLUMBUS – The American Heart Association kicks off American Heart Month with National Wear Red Day on Friday.
Heart Month activities conclude with the annual Go Red For Women luncheon Feb. 25 at the Hyatt Regency, 350 N. High Street.
The association encourages people to wear red to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke, the leading cause of death among women, accounting for the deaths of one out of three women in the U.S. each year.
“Thirty percent more women are recognizing that heart disease is their number one health threat. We’re still at only about 20 percent that recognize it’ll happen to them, so there’s still that state of denial,” Brianne Harman, of the association’s central Ohio office said.
In the spirit of the day, a large red dress projected on the front of the The Ohio State University’s Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital and the hospital’s lobby will glow with red lighting that shines throughout the glass atrium and is visible from outside.
The Heart Association says 80 percent of cardiac events and strokes can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes. The organization recommends women “know their numbers” — weight, cholesterol and blood pressure – and speak to their doctors about ways to reduce their risk.
The organization has added another element to its campaign by encouraging people to use a picture overlay for social media postings.