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- THERE ARE AS MANY STORIES AS THERE ARE WOMEN,
AND ALL OF OUR STORIES ARE RED.
THE HEART TRUTH HAS ITS OWN STORY, WHICH STARTED IN 2001.
THAT'S WHEN THE NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD
INSTITUTE BROUGHT WOMEN'S HEALTH EXPERTS TOGETHER TO
CREATE A NATIONAL PLAN TO REDUCE HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN.
THE INSTITUTE PUT ITS SCIENCE AND ITS HEART INTO SUPPORTING
A NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE, THE HEART TRUTH
CAMPAIGN, AND TO GET WOMEN'S ATTENTION CREATED A POWERFUL
FEMININE SYMBOL: THE RED DRESS.
- I THINK RED WAS A GOOD CHOICE FOR THE COLOR
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, DON'T PUT
YOURSELF ON THE BACKBURNER.
- WHEN YOU'RE WEARING RED, YOU'RE FEELING GOOD,
AND IT'S JUST HELPING WOMEN UNDERSTAND, COME ON!
WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER.
- A RED DRESS IS A REMINDER, A REMINDER FOR US TO TAKE CARE
OF OURSELVES.
WE'RE SUCH CAREGIVERS. WE TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY.
WE SOMETIMES FORGET TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.
- WOMEN NEEDED TO KNOW THEIR RISK FOR HEART DISEASE AND BE
INSPIRED TO TAKE ACTION TO LOWER IT.
- I'M HERE FOR MY MOM.
MY MOM'S HEART IS ONLY BEATING AT ABOUT 12% RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND IT STARTS BY GETTING THAT CHECKUP AND TAKING
IT SERIOUSLY.
IF IT MEANS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE, DO IT.
- I DON'T THINK YOU'RE EVER TOO YOUNG OR TOO OLD TO TAKE
CARE OF YOUR BODY AND YOUR HEART.
- WE HAVE TO START DOING IT--STOP SMOKING.
EXERCISING, EATING RIGHT.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT STAYING ALIVE, BUT ALSO HAVING A GOOD
QUALITY OF LIFE WHILE YOU'RE ALIVE.
- I KNOW I HAVE A MAJOR RISK FACTOR, WHICH IS
FAMILY HISTORY.
MY MOM HAD A HEART ATTACK AT 32, BUT JUST BECAUSE I HAVE
THAT RISK FACTOR, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I HAVE TO GET HEART
DISEASE AS WELL.
- PRIOR TO ME, HEART DISEASE WAS A MIDDLE AGED MAN'S DISEASE.
IT CERTAINLY WASN'T SOMETHING THAT HIT WOMEN, AND CERTAINLY
NOT A 39-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO THOUGHT SHE WAS IN RELATIVELY
GOOD HEALTH.
SINCE THE SURGERY, TO STAY HEALTHY AND MAKE SURE I'M HERE
FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
I EXERCISE DAILY.
I TAKE ALL MY MEDICINES.
I EAT WELL.
AND I WANT TO BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
- I'M ELISABETH ROHM, AND THE REASON THE RED DRESS IS
SO PERSONAL TO ME IS BECAUSE I HAVE A STORY OF MY OWN.
MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY FROM HEART DISEASE.
SO TO ME, ANY REMINDER THAT I CAN GIVE OTHER WOMEN TO BE
AWARE OF THEIR VULNERABILITY AND TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR
HEART HEALTH IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE REMINDED WE
ALL HAVE TO COME TOGETHER AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
LAST YEAR, 185 CONNECTICUT WOMEN COMMITTED
TO A HEART-HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
FOLLOW THE FIFTY CREATED A SISTERHOOD OF SUPPORT AS THEY
COLLECTIVELY REDUCED THEIR CHOLESTEROL 275 POINTS.
THEY LOST NEARLY 1,500 POUNDS AND 750 INCHES.
INDIVIDUALS AND PARTNERS LIKE DIET COKE HAVE SUPPORTED MORE
THAN $1 MILLION IN GRANTS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE HELPING WOMEN TAKE ACTION AGAINST HEART DISEASE.
MORE THAN HALF OF U.S. WOMEN NOW KNOW HEART DISEASE IS
THEIR LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH, UP FROM ONLY 30% IN 1997.
AND AWARENESS IS LEADING TO ACTION.
MAKE A COMMITMENT TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR
HEART HEALTH.
SHARE YOUR STORY ON THE HEART TRUTH FACEBOOK PAGE
OR ON TWITTER WITH THE HEARTTRUTH HASH TAG.
ADD YOUR CHAPTER TO THE HEART TRUTH.