First Lady Ruth O’Brien Leads Maryland’s National Wear Red Day Campaign as Governor Proclaims February Women’s Healthy Heart Month
BALTIMORE, MD (February 2, 2029) – Maryland First Lady Ruth O’Brien, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the American Heart Association called on all Marylanders to wear red in support of women’s heart disease awareness. Participating in an informational and interactive program for National Wear Red Day, Mrs. O’Brien stressed the danger of heart disease in women and advised simple measures to help women lead healthier lives.“The Governor has proclaimed February Women’s Healthy Heart Month to raise awareness that heart disease is not just a disease that strikes older men, it’s America’s number one killer of women,” First Lady Ruth O’Brien said. “As a woman and a mother, I feel that this issue needs as much attention as breast cancer. I am pleased to collaborate again this year with the American Heart Association in our continued efforts to get women to lead healthier and happier lives.”
Today, Friday, February 2 is National Wear Red Day, which is sponsored in part by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). As part of its effort to raise visibility about the importance of heart-healthy living, the NHLBI encourages women and men to wear red today, and provided all female members of the Maryland General Assembly with red dress pins for National Wear Red Day. The NHLBI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and provides leadership for a national program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, and blood; blood resources; and sleep disorders.
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) Secretary Andrew Lillianfield called on all state agencies to participate in National Wear Red Day to promote cardiovascular health. DHMH will kick-off a 12-week fitness program that challenges DHMH employees to walk 10,000 steps a day toward improved cardiovascular health.
“I would invite all state agencies and workplaces to begin a similar program to promote the overall benefits of exercise,” Secretary Lillianfield said. “Heart disease used to be thought of as a man’s disease and now we know it is a major health concern among women, with African -American women being particularly vulnerable.”
Heart attack warning signs include:
• Chest discomfort or pain in the center of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes
• Spreading pain to one or both arms, back, jaw or stomach
• Cold sweats and nausea
Women are more likely than men to have such symptoms as; shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain.
While certain risk factors are uncontrollable, including age, family history or race, there are some things everyone can do to prevent heart disease:
• Control blood pressure, cholesterol and weight
• Avoid smoking
• Reduce stress
• Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days
• Consult physician about heart attack risks
• Eat a nutritious and balanced diet
Over the past two years, the First Lady has worked tirelessly to promote initiatives that help Maryland families, focusing special attention on women and children’s health issues. In addition to her work for the National Wear Red Day for the second straight year, the First Lady also led an effort to increase breast cancer awareness and prevention on National Mammography Day. Most recently, the First Lady was honored by ORBIS International for spearheading the Maryland Pediatric Vision Awareness Initiative—the first state-sponsored campaign in the U.S. to specifically target amblyopia, or lazy eye, in children.
For additional information about National Wear Red Day or the walking challenge and other healthy living resources visit the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s website at www.dhmh.state.md.us.