WOMEN'S HEART WEEK (since 1995), February 1-7. This week is dedicated to raising awareness of the risks of heart disease through free health screenings at many hospitals, health fairs and presentations nationwide. Don your purple awareness ribbons and help us spread the word: Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, it presents differently in women and women must advocate for themselves to receive the best care. WHF offers faith communities free ppt community presentations, bookmarks and health tracker cards for download. View the Women's Heart Week video online. A nominal annual copyrights fee applies for hospitals' use of WHF curriculum.

TEEN ESTEEM HEALTH AND FITNESS PROGRAM is a remarkable program started in 2004 as a gym-alternative to establish healthier living in inner city high school girls. Through hands on, interactive learning of nutrition with a registered dietitian and a customized all-girl fitness workout with two personal fitness trainers, the girls are developing cameraderie and bolstering their self-esteem that will hopefully prompt smarter decision-making in all areas of personal health.

GENDER CARE INITIATIVE©^TM is a lecture series for nurses and other health professionals organized by the WHF to promote better care models for women. Practitioners from all care disciplines deliver presentations aimed at improving women's outcomes. A portion of the programming is open to the public. Each conference seeks to convey a critical message that we must practice gender-specific medicine and care of women if we hope to reverse the disturbing trend of increasing mortality in women. In January 2001, the Foundation adopted a purple ribbon as its symbol to raise awareness of the science of gender-specific healthcare and medicine and promote access to wellness programs for women. Learn about gender differences.

RUN FOR MOM (aka "Run for Your Heart") is WHF's annual event to commemorate National Women's Health Week. Save the date: May 11, 2008 at Mercer County Park in central New Jersey. Starting this year, the event will always be held on Mother's Day. Activities include a 5K walk/run and 1-mile family health walk, prize ceremony with a custom Women's Heart Foundation medal being awarded first, second, and third-place winners (cash award to top male and female finisher), jewelry sales, DJ and post-event buffet. All proceeds benefit the Women's Heart Foundation so come out to enjoy a fun and healthy family event while supporting a good cause. Celebrate mom! Register today. Go to

The JEWELRY PROJECT Sale of unwanted costume jewelry helps support WHF's core mission. Volunteers are needed to collect the jewelry from neighbors and friends during the months of September, October and November, then mail the donated items to WHF to be polished and refurbished by service organizations and college sororities for resale the first Saturday in February at a WHF statewide WEAR RED event.

MEDICATION SAFETY WEEK (since 1999), April 1-7 is a community outreach initiative targeted to women as caregivers and as patients. By promoting better communication and giving women new tools to manage their medicines, WHF provides "rules of thumb" for safer use of medicines and supplements. Pharmacies are asked to participate by offering a "brown bag day" on April Fool's Day to encourage customers to know their medicines and to not be fooled by generic drugs or by pills that look alike. WHF offers faith communities a free Medication Safety community presentation powerpoint for download. A nominal annual copyrights fee applies for hospital use. Contact us. WHF continues the message year-round with presentations at senior nutrition sites and each participant receives a free Cards for Life© personal health file with a magnet-backed vinyl carrying case.

SHOPPING FOR A HEALTHY HEART© is a program implemented with health partners to assist consumers with making healthier food choices right at the grocery store shelf. WEGMANS and the Univeristy of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Dietitians implemented our 2005 program in Princeton, arranged throug a classroom field trip. One hundred and twenty sophomore students from Trenton Central High School participated with five dietitian-led stations representing different food groups. Vendors contribute food samples, coupons and take-home gifts.

ANNUAL AWARDS - Honoring leading women's heart health advocates.