It’s February, and you know what that means (aside from Valentine’s Day of course).
It’s Heart Month!
One of Heart Month’s many great initiatives is Wear Red Canada. Occurring each year on February 13th, Wear Red Canada is a national day of awareness for heart health that brings together communities from coast to coast.
In this guide, we explain Wear Red Canada and how you can get involved, as well as sharing some heart-starting facts about women’s heart health.
Check out these 7 ways to celebrate Heart Month at work.
What is Wear Red Canada?
On Wear Red Canada, Canadians wear red in support of women’s heart health and the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
This annual initiative has been making an impact since its inception, raising awareness about the importance of knowing your personal risk factors, understanding heart health, and the steps people can take to prevent cardiovascular disease. It serves as a reminder to recognize the prevalence of heart disease among Canadian women and how important it is to take action and look after our own hearts and those of the women we love.
Events occur across the country, so be sure to check out what’s going on in your community for Wear Red Canada.
Why Women’s Heart Health?
Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women worldwide?
Yet, tragically, heart disease is still under-studied, under-reported, and under-diagnosed due to the stigma that heart disease is a ‘man’s disease’.
Below are some alarming facts demonstrating just how impactful heart disease is for women:
- Most women in Canada have at least one risk factor for heart disease ¹
- While male hormones enlarge arteries, female hormones make them smaller, making women’s arteries more prone to blood clots or blockages and more difficult to repair ²
- Some risk factors carry a stronger risk in women, such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a family history of heart disease ²
- Conditions including early menopause, pregnancy complications, and polycystic ovary syndrome, can lead to a greater risk of heart disease for women ²
- Heart attack symptoms are not recognized in over 50% of women ²
- Some diagnostic tests long considered standard in cardiology have given inconsistent or confusing results for some categories of women ²
Wondering about the heart disease differences in men and women? Learn more.
How to Show Support for Wear Red Canada
Here are a few ways you can get involved to help spread awareness across Canada:
Wear Red
Encourage your friends, family, and coworkers to show their support with you by wearing red in honour of Wear Red Canada.
Get Social
To help spread awareness, you can share photos and stories on social media using the hashtag #HerHeartMatters.
Get the Wear Red Canada Campaign Toolkit.
Organize or Join an Event
Plan an event or fundraiser in your community to educate others about the risks of heart disease for women.
Alternatively, you could join an event with your fellow Canadians!
Volunteer
From sharing your own heart story to becoming a heart health advocate, there are many Wear Red Canada volunteer opportunities to take part in.
Donate
By donating to Wear Red Canada, you directly support the Wear Red Canada campaign, with remaining funds aiding the national project outputs of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance.
Learn more about Wear Red Canada and how you can get involved.
You Can Make a Difference
Wear Red Canada is a powerful reminder of the importance of recognizing and addressing women’s heart health, bringing communities together to show their support.
We can all make a difference in raising awareness for women’s heart health by sharing our experiences, taking action, and spreading the word. Join us on Wear Red Canada as we wear red to show our support for women!
Keep the women in your life safe every day by having an AED on-hand. Get your In-Home AED today!
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