CELEBRITY WOMEN FROM OKLAHOMA PROVIDE RED DRESSES TO HIGHLIGHT “GO RED FOR WOMEN” HEART DISEASE EDUCATION PROJECT
Reba McIntire, Amy Grant, Kristin Chenoweth and Megan Mullally Top List of National and State Female Celebrities
Oklahoma Heart Hospital and Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates Celebrate “Go Red for Women” Campaign to Educate Oklahoma Women about Risk of Heart Disease
OKLAHOMA CITY—The average age for heart disease among Oklahoma women is 49 years old. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women – taking more Oklahoma women’s lives than all of the cancers combined; one in three women in our state will develop heart disease, and yet a recent Harris poll revealed only 13 percent of women in America believes that heart disease and stroke are the greatest health threat to women.
February 3, 2006, is National Wear Red Day! National Wear Red Day is a day when American women nation-wide will wear red to show their support for women's heart disease awareness.
The Oklahoma Heart Hospital and the physicians of Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates in conjunction with the American Heart Association will be celebrating this extraordinary campaign on February 2nd at 10:00 a.m. by opening a month-long exhibit of red dresses worn by outstanding Oklahoma women in entertainment, sports, government and education.
First Lady Kim Henry and Lt. Governor Mary Fallin will speak to Oklahoma women about the importance of preventing heart disease by knowing “the numbers” when it comes to preventing heart attack; levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. Heart survivors will tell their extraordinary stories of fighting heart disease as young women. Claudia Crow was 30 with young children when she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy Diane Majors had a heart attack at age 46. Diane weighed 295 pounds when she was diagnosed with heart disease – today she weighs 135 pounds and is living an active healthy life.
The list of Oklahoma women who have already donated a red outfit to the event include: Singing and television star Reba McEntire; Broadway Tony winner, television and movie star Kristin Chenoweth; Five-time Grammy winner and television star Amy Grant; Star of NBC’s Will and Grace Megan Mullally; First Lady of Oklahoma Kim Henry; Lt. Governor Mary Fallin; Former First Ladies Cathy Keating, Rhonda Walters and Molly Boren; Sherri Coale – OU Women’s Basketball Coach; WNBA Basketball Star from Atoka – Crystal Robinson; Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller; Secretary of State Susan Savage; Education Secretary – Sandy Garrett; Oklahoma Miss America’s Jane Jayroe, Susan Powell, Shawntel Smith; OKC councilwoman Willa Johnson; Federal Court Judges Vickie Miles-LaGrange and Robin Cauthron; Kristen Gundy – wife of OSU football head coach, Janet Schmidly – OSU President’s wife many more have been invited to provide a dress and are expected to contribute to the event.
The American Heart Association campaign is especially aimed at women ages 40 to 60, the time when a woman's risk of heart disease starts to rise. But its messages are also important for younger women, since heart disease develops gradually and can start at a young age—even in the teenage years. Older women have an interest too—it's never too late to take action to prevent and control the risk factors for heart disease. Even those who have heart disease can improve their heart health and quality of life.
v Oklahoma Facts:
Ø Heart disease is the number one killer of Oklahoma women
Ø Oklahoma women rank third in the nation in rate of heart disease
Ø Heart disease accounts for 1/3 of all female deaths in Oklahoma
Ø 51% of heart attack deaths in Oklahoma are in women (2003)
Ø 80,000 Oklahoma women hospitalized with heart disease (2001)
Ø Average Oklahoman woman’s age for heart disease is 49 years old
Ø Oklahoma has third highest smoking rate in America
Ø Diabetes has increased 43% in past decade in Oklahoma
Ø One in 5 Oklahomans has high blood pressure
Ø One in 5 Oklahomans has high cholesterol
v Prevention
Ø Avoid smoking and environmental tobacco smoke
Ø 30 minutes of exercise on most days
Ø Control diabetes
Ø Heart-healthy diet including a variety of fruits and vegetables, grains, low-fat or no-fat dairy products, fish, legumes and proteins low in saturated fat
Ø Watch your weight
Ø Maintain a blood pressure less than 120/80
· Control cholesterol …LDL higher than 100 mg
HDL lower than 50 mg
Triglycerides lower than 150 mg
Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates is the state’s largest group of cardiovascular specialists with 38 physicians in nearly 40 clinics across Oklahoma, including the Oklahoma Heart Hospital. ocaheart.com
The Oklahoma Heart Hospital is the state’s first all-digital hospital totally focused on the care of hearts.