To kick off February, American Heart Month, five Atlanta women are joining the American Heart Association to fight their number one health threat, cardiovascular disease (CVD) through the Woman of Impact initiative. Woman of Impact is an extension of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women® movement, a comprehensive platform designed more than two decades ago to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women globally. This year’s Woman of Impact class will work from February 2 to April 4 to raise funds to support research and education to better identify, diagnose, treat and prevent CVD in women and is locally sponsored by Northside Hospital.
Women experience unique life stages that can increase their risk of developing CVD over the course of their lifetime. In fact, CVD is the number one killer of new moms as the leading case of maternal mortality.[1] The good news is, the majority of cardiovascular events can be prevented with lifestyle changes and education which is the foundation of the Association’s Go Red for Women movement.
“Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women, claiming more lives than all cancers combined, so it’s vital for all women to take charge of their heart health and encourage others to do the same,” said Carla Smith, region senior vice president and executive director of the Metro Atlanta American Heart Association. Nearly 45% of women over age 20 are living with some form of CVD[2]. I am here to encourage women to raise their voices and make sure all Atlanta women know how to take steps now to protect our hearts later.”
Woman of Impact, a nationwide initiative, is set to launch in more than 100 cities across the country on National Wear Red Day, February 2. At the start of the campaign, hundreds of nominees nationwide embark on a nine-week journey to help transform the health of women through education and fundraising….
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