American Heart Association Hampton Roads teams up with local healthcare providers to spread awareness about women’s heart disease through their annual Go Red for Women campaign
By Chelsea Sherman
“I could not believe I was having a heart attack.”
It is a common refrain heard by cardiologists when treating women with heart disease. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women in the U.S.—in fact, it claims more American women’s lives than all cancers combined. Yet many studies show that women believe they are more likely to die from cancer than from heart disease.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has been working to change these misconceptions and empower women to take charge of their heart health. In 2004, they launched Go Red For Women, a campaign designed specifically to help educate and empower women about their heart health.
This year, for the campaign’s 20th anniversary, the focus is “Addressing Women’s Health at Any Age, Stage and Season of Life.” Whereas in past years the campaign has honed in on a variety of life stages and risk factors, such as maternal health, this year’s initiative is a reminder that women of all ages and walks of life can have risk factors for heart disease and experience cardiac events.
“Caring for heart health should be a priority throughout a woman’s lifespan, not just at older ages when acute symptoms are most prevalent and most expected by women. It’s possible to address modifiable risk factors and focus on prevention before heart disease sets in,” says MeShall Simmons, executive director for the AHA Hampton Roads.
Funding for the campaign is crucial for optimizing its impact and getting the message out to as many women as possible—which is where the Circle of Red comes in. Circle of Red is Go Red for Women’s annual giving society, headed by leaders in the local medical community and made up of individuals who are passionate about winning the fight against women’s heart disease.
Fittingly, this year’s Circle of Red Chair for AHA Hampton Roads is Dr. Alexandra Ward, medical director for the Riverside Women’s Heart Center.
“My biggest hope is that we get a ton of community engagement, and we get as many people as we can to recognize the campaign and get involved,” Ward says. “That awareness and involvement is how you pass the message on and make a big difference.”
Ward not only treats hearts for a living, but she herself faces an increased risk for heart disease.
“I always joke that I know heart disease will be what kills me, because there’s such a strong history of it in my family. That’s part of why I went into cardiology and why the AHA and Go Red Campaign are so important to me personally,” Ward says. “As a woman, it’s not something that was brought up to me by my doctors when I was younger, even though I had those risk factors. It’s so important that we’re helping women increase their awareness at an early age.”
At the Riverside Women’s Heart Center, Ward sees patients across all stages of life who have had some type of cardiac event or have been diagnosed with a risk factor such as preeclampsia during pregnancy. The silver lining of having a diagnosis during pregnancy or a cardiac event earlier in life is that women can begin preventative measures before things escalate.
For women who have not had any kind of cardiac event, there can still be risk factors lurking.
Dr. Dena Krishnan, director of Women’s Cardiovascular Disease and Prevention Center at Bon Secours and President of the AHA Hampton Roads Board of Directors, emphasizes the importance of women prioritizing their annual checkup with their healthcare provider.
“Everyone should have a primary care doctor because that’s how you figure out your risk factors,” Krishnan says. “These days, early screening and treatments for heart disease are very advanced. We can live a long, healthy, normal life with early intervention.”
Unfortunately, the problem for many women is actually going to the doctor in the first place. Women have a tendency to prioritize others before themselves, or to downplay their own symptoms until they have progressed to serious illness.
“As women, we are good at looking good, even when we’re not feeling well. And so often, don’t get sick days. By the time we stop and pay attention to ourselves, we frequently present with issues that are more advanced and complicated,” Krishnan says.
The AHA Hampton Roads’ hard work to educate and empower women about heart health culminates in the Go Red for Women Luncheon, which occurs every year in February. In 2024, the luncheon will take place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Valentine’s Day at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton.
Women of all ages and from all walks of life are encouraged to attend. Funds raised through the luncheon will support Go Red for Women’s various initiatives throughout the community.
“As women, we often end up focusing on everyone around us and can kind of put ourselves on the back burner,” says Adria Vanhoozier, president of Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg and 2024-2025 Go Red for Women chairperson. “It’s so important for us to trust our bodies when something feels off. Go Red for Women provides women with the tools and resources for prevention and empowers them to take action when something is wrong.”
Women & Heart Disease
#1 Cause of Death for Women
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women in the U.S.
Making a Difference for Healthy Hearts
“The American Heart Association’s commitment to combating heart disease and stroke through education, research, and advocacy has had a profound impact on public health,” says Frankye Myers, chief nursing officer for Riverside Health and AHA Hampton Roads Board of Directors member. “Their initiatives promote heart-healthy lifestyles, provide critical resources for healthcare professionals, and support groundbreaking research that leads to innovative treatments and improved patient outcomes.”
The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women’s 20th Anniversary
This year, for the campaign’s 20th anniversary, the focus is “Addressing Women’s Health at Any
Age, Stage and Season of Life.”
Let’s Do Lunch! Go Red for Women Luncheon Valentine’s Day, 2025
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Hampton Roads Convention Center
Women of all ages and from all walks of life are encouraged to attend. Funds raised through the luncheon will support Go Red for Women’s initiatives throughout the community.
Tickets and sponsorships for the Go Red for Women Luncheon are available at heart.org/hamptonroadsgored.
Chelsea Sherman
