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Trenton, NJ, March 1, 2006 There was a sea of red
at the Trenton War Memorial on February 4 when WHF organized a statewide
event for promoting an awareness campaign about women's heart disease and how it
is the #1 killer of women. The program was in association with
the American Heart Association Go Red for Women - Love Your Heart campaign,
the NIH Red Dress Campaign, the New Jersey local and state Chapters of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the New Jersey Department
of Health and Senior Services.
The Women's Heart Foundation coordinated the entire event with volunteers, including a HEART TRUTH Talk Show featuring a mother and daughter concerned
about unhealthy lifestyles in teens, and a mother-daughter 10,000 Steps sign-up program,
in collaboration with the National Heart Truth project.
"The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is a dedicated organization. They coordinated bus transportation
for their members around the state and included invitations to Junior Deltas -
the 17-year-old daughters of the Delta members. They also helped with food contributions and preparation.
Our other volunteers came from The College of New Jersey Bonner Scholars program. WHF
could not have put this large event together without a band of volunteers all pulling
together to host a great event for the women of New Jersey", said Bonnie Arkus, WHF executive director
who coordinated the event.
"New Jersey Curves® owners really came together as well for women's hearts", she said.
"I asked each owner to locate a registered nurse in their respective community to
perform free heart risk assessments on Feb 1 at Curves® and a total
of 11 Curves® participated, performing
96 free heart health screenings. The NIH Heart Truth grant covered the Nurses' honorarium.
This was a tremendously successful way of reaching women locally who could otherwise
not find the time or transportation to join us at the War Memorial
on Feb 4."
"The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Citizens gave away 500 pedometers
to participants; American Heart Association gave red dress pins and GO RED brochures and materials;
NIH Heart Truth materials and red dress pin were also dispensed."
To follow-up with the day's events, the WHF is planning to distribute awards and gifts to
Mothers and Daughters who walk the most number of steps over a 6-week period of time with acknowledgement and prizes being
distributed at its annual RUN FOR YOUR HEART event, to take place May 14, 2006 (Mother's Day) at
the Mercer County Park in New Jersey.
Experts agree walking about four miles a day can optimize health and greatly reduce the risk
of diabetes and of sudden death by heart attack. Ten thousand steps is equal
the equivalent of 4 miles, based on the average person's stride of 2.2 feet,
measured toe to heel.
The Wear Red Rally and Health Expo was free. The event was made possible by grants the Women's
Heart Foundation received
from the NIH Heart Truth project and from L'Oreal USA. The event included
free gifts, food, music, dance, seminars, screenings, face painting, and gifts,
including a red canvas tote bag with a full-sized bottle of
L'Oreal Shampoo.
The Women's Heart Foundation is a public-supported charity dedicated
to prevention of heart disease and to improving women’s survival and
quality of life. For more information or to sponsor next year's event,
please contact us.
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