Friday, February 1, is National Wear Red Day. It's the kickoff to the American Heart Association's Heart Health Month. People are encouraged to wear red this Friday to raise awareness about women's heart health issues. Many organizations are participating in different ways. For example, the Boston Bruins will come on the ice between the 2nd and 3rd period of their game tonight in red dresses and shoot goals at a red heart on the ice. A portion of the ticket sales from the game will go to the AHA.

Go Red for Women is a movement sponsored by the American Heart Association. The goal is to educate women about heart disease, methods of detection and prevention, and lifestyle issues that can affect outcomes. The organization uses a red dress as its symbol. Please visit their website (www.GoRedForWomen.org) to learn more.

Before my cardiac arrest eight months ago, I knew intellectually that heart disease was a bigger killer of women than breast cancer, but it was more an interesting fact than a real life issue for me. I have become much more attuned to issues of the heart since my own experience and have been looking for ways to raise awareness among my women friends. So I plan to wear red on Friday and I proudly wear my red dress pin every day. I even purchase a bracelet with hearts and a red dress from Brighton. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Go Red for Women movement.

-P