Courtesy of Go Red For Women
In response to the high death rates of women from cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, established Go Red for Women in 2004. Since then, Go Red has addressed the awareness and clinical care gaps of women’s greatest health threat, cardiovascular disease.
On Friday, Nov. 8, at the Albany Capital Center, the Capital Region Go Red for Women Luncheon celebrated 20 years with the largest crowd since the pandemic, 400 people, mostly women, all dressed in red.
“I chaired the first Go Red for Women Luncheon in the Capital Region because I saw the need to raise awareness of heart disease and stroke in women,” said Anne Saile, former president and CEO of Bellevue Woman’s Hospital and chair of the 2024 Go Red for Women Luncheon. “My mother suffered a stroke when I was ten, and I remember uncles talking in hushed tones about where my brother and I would go when she died. Thanks to research from the American Heart Association, she not only survived, she thrived. I want that to be available to everyone, everywhere, and Go Red is helping to make that possible.”
The event’s “Festival of Red” featured health screenings, Hands-Only CPR demonstrations, and a silent auction. The program celebrated the Men Go Red for Women, the Teens of Impact and the Woman of Impact. The three campaigns together raised nearly $43,000. Justin Priddle was the winner of the Men Go Red; Monica Roach was the Woman of Impact; and Jack James, born with a congenital heart defect, was the winning Teen of Impact, raising nearly $12,000.
A panel discussion focused on ways that women can care for their hearts at the different ages and stages of their lives.
“Many factors go into heart health, and Go Red is helping women realize that,” said Suzie Mookherjee, M.D., cardiologist at Albany Medical Center, a member of the Albany Med Health System, and board member of the American Heart Association in the Capital Region. “It’s important that women address physical risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, of course, but we also need to reduce stress and understand what other emotional or mental factors might be affecting our hearts.”
For more information, visit www.GoRedforWomen.org or www. heart.org.