(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) – Nashville went red in a big way at the Go
Red For Women Luncheon last Friday, raising a campaign total of $775,000, a 28%
increase over last year.
About 500 guests – nearly all women, most dressed in red – participated in
morning workshops for cooking, fashion, and smart living, shopped at boutiques,
and joined at lunch to listen to keynote speaker Dana Vollmer, Olympic gold
medal swimmer, talk about her journey as a heart survivor. Guests held up their
donation envelopes and were awarded red boas. The event was emceed by Kelly
Sutton of Fox 17′s Tennessee Mornings.
This is the 10th anniversary year of the Go Red For Women movement, dedicated to
increasing awareness, research and treatment for heart disease in women, their
No. 1 killer. One of every three women die of cardiovascular disease.
African-American women are at even higher risk due to factors like higher rates
of high blood pressure, overweight and diabetes. Nashville was ranked in 2008 as
the least heart-healthy city for women in America, and the Go Red movement is
working hard to turn that around.
For those who want to help here at home: The Ayers Foundation, along with two
anonymous donors, have combined to match local Go Red donations up to a total of
$80,000, so that each dollar you donate will be doubled. This offer has been
extended to online donations until early May. Online donations may be made at
www.heart.org/NashvilleGoRed<http://www.heart.org/NashvilleGoRed>.
Proceeds from the Luncheon and from local online donations go to the American
Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement.
Go Red For Women is sponsored nationally by Macy’s and Merck, and locally by
Saint Thomas Heart. Local Go Red For Women Luncheon sponsors include the Ayers
Foundation, BGA Entertainment, Iasis Healthcare and Vanderbilt Heart. Local
media sponsors of Go Red For Women include Fox 17, 107.5 The River, 101.1 The
Beat, CBS Outdoor and Nashville Business Journal.