Baylor's Pat Neff Tower To 'Go Red' Friday For American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day
WACO, Texas (Feb. 6, 2014) - From 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, Feb. 7, the lights atop Baylor University's Pat Neff Hall tower will be illuminated red, instead of the traditional green, in support of the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day and the Go Red for Women campaign.
Baylor's Pat Neff Hall tower will join other major Waco landmarks and businesses participating in the effort, either by turning their facades or interiors red for the day or by staff wearing red. They include the Dr Pepper Museum, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, the McLennan County Court House, Providence Healthcare Network and Baylor Scott & White Health's Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, among other local businesses and city and county agencies.
Both the City of Waco and McLennan County will officially proclaim Friday as National Wear Red Day to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Go Red For Women, the tremendous strides in the fight against heart disease in women in the last decade and the ongoing need to educate Central Texas women about their health risks.
More women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. Unfortunately, heart disease is often silent, hidden and misunderstood. Currently some 8 million women in the U.S. are living with heart disease, yet only one in six believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
The good news is that heart disease can be prevented. About 80 percent of cardiac events in women are linked to poor choices involving diet, physical activity or smoking. But more than 90 percent of women who have gotten involved in the Go Red movement have made at least one healthy behavior change. And in 10 years since its inception, the Go Red movement has saved over half a million lives by spreading awareness of the disease.
On National Wear Red Day, the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women is asking all women, and the men who love them, to "Go Red" by wearing red and living a healthy lifestyle and "Speak Red" by spreading the message that heart disease is taking the lives of mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. Learn more or get involved at Go Red for Women or https://www.facebook.com/go.red.
ABOUT GO RED FOR WOMEN
Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's national movement, created by women, for women, dedicated to uncovering the truth about women and heart disease: heart disease can kill you or a woman you love. We are committed to fighting this No. 1 killer that is preventable. GoRedForWomen.org, a premier source of information and education, connects millions of women of all ages and gives them tangible resources to turn personal choices into life-saving actions. For more information please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278). Nationally sponsored by Macy's.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
The American Heart Association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Our mission is to build healthier lives by preventing, treating and defeating these diseases - America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health. To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit www.heart.org.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.