Tomorrow, February 3rd, is a very important day. No it’s not because of someones birthday, anniversary or graduation. It’s because it’s National Wear Red day! Why should you wear red? Do it for your grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, cousins, friends, neighbors… (get the picture?). Guess what every woman on this planet has in common. A heart. We all have one and did you know that in the United States Heart Disease is the number ONE killer. That’s right, 1 out of every 3 deaths are caused by heart related diseases!
Why is this important in our house? Well something I don’t mention on here very often is that when I was pregnant with Deeds I started to go into heart failure. I have a rare form of Peripartium Cardiomyopathy that I still battle daily. I have made wonderful friends through support groups for women with heart issues. While some improve and go on to live typical lives others like me live a constant battle of doctors, medications, tests, surgeries and questions. I’ve even lost some amazing friends to their heart related problems.
I challenge all of you to get educated about your hearts and the hearts of your loved ones. KNOW the warning signs of heart attacks and strokes. Do not be super mom and just battle through the symptoms. It is better to overreact than to end up passing away or having irreversible heart damage. While some heart diseases like the one I have come without ways to prevent it, so many others are preventable and getting help early is KEY.
So when you decide what to wear tomorrow, grab that red shirt. Throw on the red dress when you head off to work. Get the entire family involved! Then each time you pass someone else wearing red ASK them if it’s for “Go Red For Women Day” If they ask what it’s about then you have just gotten the chance to educate one more person about heart disease!
I am asking each of you to take this challenge at www.goredforwomen.org and tell 5 people you know that you love them and want them to live! You may just end up saving one of them.
We’ll be wearing red, will you?
