The staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound recently joined a nationwide effort to educate and bring light to cardiovascular disease.
National Wear Red Day took place on Friday, Feb. 5 with many of the hospital’s 730 healthcare professionals and others showing their spirit by dressing up in the bright color to help kick off the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative.
Part of American Heart Month, the annual initiative on the first Friday in February aims to make people aware of how many women suffer from cardiovascular disease and what hospitals like Texas Health Flower Mound do for their patients.
“Women’s symptoms can present differently than males,” said Sandi Gill, the hospital’s chief nursing officer. “They still have chest pain but it may be accompanied with other symptoms like nausea, jaw pain or shortness of breath.
“I don’t think people realize the No. 1 killer of women is heart disease. One in three women actually die from heart disease. National Red Day brings attention to the importance of highlighting this disease in women.”
While the American Heart Association has been celebrating National Wear Red Day for many years, Gill said it has been receiving more awareness over the past five years.
“With the support of large national companies, like Macy’s, National Wear Red Day now garners significant national attention,” Gill said. “That said, we cannot let the pandemic overshadow this important movement.
“It’s important for healthcare professionals to be involved. In our roles we are perfectly positioned to advocate, educate and support the research,” Gill said, “and, everyone likes to wear red.”
More information about helping the Go Red for Women movement is available at goredforwomen.org.
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