Kansas City’s Go Red for Women No. 1

The Kansas City American Heart Association has announced the Go Red For Women luncheon, hosted in April, was the No. 1 luncheon in the country.

The event raised more money than any other Go Red For Women event in the country for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

“The fact that Kansas City’s effort to support Go Red for Women netted the highest earnings of any related event across the country is a testament to the generous spirit and dedication of this community,” said Jeff Chambers, vice president, Kansas City regional marketing, M&I Bank.

“It’s also indicative of the tireless commitment of the staff and volunteers that drive our annual Go Red for Women campaign. On behalf of the employees at M&I Bank, we’re honored to work with Go Red for Women and further the effort to raise awareness about the danger of heart disease in women.”

The Kansas City campaign raised more than $940,000 in lifesaving education and research, which is a 194 percent increase from the 2007-08 campaign.

Staff with the American Heart Association contributes this success to the local cause partners, HCA Midwest Health System and M&I Bank, along with the motivated volunteers and the supportive community.

“Our local supporters embraced the cause marketing concept and knew it was the right thing to do,” Carli Good, Go Red For Women director, said.

Lori A. Mallory, Kansas City Internal Medicine chief executive officer and 2009 Go Red For Women chair, said Kansas City is a leader nationwide in philanthropic giving.

“It is not surprising that they would lead such an important awareness campaign,” she said.

“Local companies ‘get’ this campaign from both the role of employee wellness and from the perspective of the positive impact their company receives by participating in something larger than themselves.”

The campaign is the American Heart Association’s national campaign to increase awareness of heart disease and inspire women to take charge of their heart health.

The color red and the red dress are nationally recognized and stand for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.

Research shows that 96 percent of women who “Go Red” have made at least one choice to improve their heart health.

For example, more than 40 percent have lost weight, more than half have increased their exercise, six out of 10 have changed their diets, 53 percent have checked their cholesterol levels, one-third have investigated their family’s history of heart disease or talked to their doctor about their personal heart risks.

“Heart disease touches so many lives and we see how it affects our patients and their families every day in our hospital,” said Carolyn Caldwell, chief executive officer of Centerpoint Medical Center, an HCA Midwest Hospital, and co-chair of the 2010 Go Red For Women movement.

Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of more than 460,000 women every year, causing one death per minute.

More women die of cardiovascular disease than the next five causes of death combined, yet studies show that only 21 percent of women view heart disease as their greatest health threat.

For more information or to join Go Red For Women, visit www.goredforwomen.org.

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