| THE HEART TRUTH ROAD SHOW VISITS PHILADELPHIA MARCH
19-21
First Lady Laura Bush’s Red Dress on Display
for First Time
March 8, 2004—From March 19-21, The Heart
Truth Road Show—a traveling exhibit about women’s
heart health, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS)—will visit Philadelphia’s Plaza King
of Prussia shopping mall to deliver an urgent heart health
wake-up call to local women.
Complete with free risk factor screenings for heart
disease and educational materials, the traveling exhibit
features a magnificent display of The Heart Truth’s
Red Dress Collection—which includes designs
by Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Carolina Herrera, and
Mrs. Bush’s Oscar de la Renta red suit, on tour
for the first time. The Heart Truth’s
Red Dress is the national symbol for women and heart
disease awareness. It is a red alert that heart disease
is the #1 killer of women—and an urgent reminder
to every woman to care for her heart.
"The Heart Truth Road Show takes important
messages about heart health directly to women in local
communities so they can learn about their personal
risk factors for heart disease-and understand that
heart disease is a woman's #1 health threat,"
said HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson.
In Philadelphia, The Heart Truth Road Show
will provide more than 1,000 women with free heart
disease risk factor screenings and testing for diabetes,
high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and body
mass index. Heart disease risk factors include those
that are beyond a woman’s control and those
that can be changed. Those that can’t be changed
are a family history of early heart disease and age
(55 and older for women). The risk factors that can
be controlled are smoking, high blood pressure, high
blood cholesterol, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity,
and diabetes. While having even one risk factor is
dangerous, having multiple risk factors is especially
serious because risk factors tend to “gang up”
and worsen each other’s effects.
"It is important to encourage every woman to talk
to her doctor about her risks for heart disease and
to start taking action to lead a heart healthy life,"
said Barbara Alving, M.D., Acting Director, NHLBI.
The Heart Truth Road Show exhibit will be
at the Plaza King of Prussia, Nordstrom Court (160
North Gulph Road, Routes 202 & 363) and will be
open to the public on:
• Friday, March 19 from 3:00-9:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 20 from 12:00-6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 21 from 12:00-6:00 p.m.
Research shows that women are more worried about cancer
than heart disease—especially breast cancer.
According to a survey commissioned by the American
Heart Association, only 13 percent of women believe
heart disease is their greatest health risk—35
percent of women put breast cancer as their top concern.
Yet, heart disease, which includes coronary artery
disease, congestive heart failure, angina, and other
conditions, is the leading cause of death in American
women, accounting for 366,000 deaths in 2000.
Johnson & Johnson is the presenting sponsor of
The Heart Truth Road Show. National sponsors
include: LifeWiseTM by RadioShack, Johnson & Johnson
Reach® Dental Floss, Cordis Corporation, and Acme.
The Heart Truth Road Show community partners
include: American College of Cardiology, the American
Heart Association, the DHHS Office on Women’s
Health, and WomenHeart: the National Coalition for
Women with Heart Disease.
“Johnson & Johnson is pleased to help focus
public attention on heart disease through efforts
such as The Heart Truth Road Show,”
said Nancy Snyderman, M.D., Vice President, Medical
Affairs, Johnson & Johnson. “Too many women
are unaware of their risk factors and the prevalence
and preventability of heart disease. We are committed
to increasing awareness among women and those who
love them,” added Snyderman.
As announced by First Lady Laura Bush at the White
House on February 2, 2004, the Road Show cities also
include: Chicago (March 26-28), San Diego (April 2-4),
Dallas (April 16-18), and Miami (April 30-May 2).
The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign
for women about heart disease, sponsored by the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National
Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. The campaign first introduced the
Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart
disease awareness during American Heart Month at Fashion
Week in February 2003.
For more information about The Heart Truth
and its Red Dress symbol, please visit www.hearttruth.gov.
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