The American Heart Association is asking everyone in West Michigan to wear at least a touch of red on Friday (February 6th), to draw attention to the fact that heart disease is the number one killer of WOMEN in the United States.  While heart attacks tend to be most commonly associated with men… something I know all too well…  the fact is, that cardiovascular disease kills more than 450,000 American women each year… about one every MINUTE. 

As many of you are well aware, I suffered a sudden, massive heart attack last July.  I was just 43 years old and had no warning signs.  Thanks to some great doctors and nurses, I was lucky enough to survive, what very few do…. what is known in the medical field as a “widow maker”….  for all the obvious reasons.

The fact is, WOMEN are much MORE likely than men, to die from major heart attacks.  According to the American Heart Association, 64 percent of all women who suffer from sudden coronary heart disease have NO warning signs.  There are an estimated 41 million American women currently living with one or more types of cardiovascular disease, many, if not most of whom, have no idea.  Heart disease is not only the number one killer of women in the U.S., but it claims more lives than the next five causes combined, including all forms of cancer. 

If you can, share some of this information with YOUR mother, grandmother, sister, aunt or daughter… and join Emily, Jen, Brett, Terry, me and the rest of the Daybreak crew, by wearing a touch of red on Friday.

We’ll have more on “Go Red For Women” Friday morning on Daybreak, and you can find much more information at www.goredforwomen.org.

Be healthy,

Larry Figurski