Go Red For Women

Friday, February 4th, was Go Red for Women sponsored by the American Heart Association. I volunteered to help out at a very special event set up by the local chapter and Park Meadows Mall. I served as the greeter for the event.

We had all sorts of things for the ladies to do that day. You could have your picture taken with the Go Red Dress, have your blood pressure taken or get a free makeover by Lancome. If you wore red that day, you could even get 20% off your purchases at Macy's.

My personal story about both heart and stroke awareness is my grandmother, Maddie. By the age of 84 she was having a difficult time getting around. She could barely take a few steps before getting winded. Further investigation revealed that she has a bad valve and an enlarged aorta. The first time she went in for surgery, they couldn't complete it because of a white film in the area around her heart. So, six months later she went in again. This time the surgery was a total success. Her color came back and her blood pressure returned to normal. That night she died of a stroke. I miss my grandmother so I wear red!