Baylor's Pat Neff Tower To 'Go Red' Friday For American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day

February 6, 2015

University joins other iconic Waco landmarks to elevate public awareness about heart disease

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-710-6275
Follow Lori on Twitter at @LoriBaylorU
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WACO, Texas (Feb. 6, 2015) – Beginning at 6 p.m., 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.

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. Buildings that will be lit red include the Dr Pepper Museum, McLennan County Court House and Texas Farm Bureau.

In addition, the annual Go Red For Women luncheon was held at Baylor’s new McLane Stadium as the American Heart Association focuses on 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 www.GoRedForWomen.org or https://www.facebook.com/goredforwomen.

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 www.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 innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to save and improve lives. 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 16,000 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 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.