West Palm Beach woman is the face of national campaign increasing awareness about heart disease

Pamela E. Thomas will be featured in Burlington Stores and WomenHeart campaign to #KnockOutHeartDisease in women.
Pamela E. Thomas will be featured in Burlington Stores and WomenHeart campaign to #KnockOutHeartDisease in women.
Pamela E. Thomas will be featured in Burlington Stores and WomenHeart campaign to #KnockOutHeartDisease in women.

West Palm Beach woman is the face of national campaign increasing awareness about heart disease

      WEST PALM BEACH, FL — February marks the start of American Heart Month, a powerful reminder that heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women and an opportunity to raise public awareness about risk factors, prevalence, and prevention.

With nearly 48 million women in the U.S. living with or at risk of heart disease, we know the critical importance of encouraging women to take control of their heart health. This includes following a heart healthy diet, exercising regularly, knowing your family history, and knowing your numbers (think blood pressure and cholesterol). Too many women do not even know that they are at risk of heart disease.

That’s why I’m so honored to be one of the faces of the Burlington Stores and WomenHeart national campaign to #KnockOutHeartDisease launching Feb. 1; that seeks to raise awareness and educate women about their heart health. I got involved volunteering with Women-Heart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease back in 2009 during my recovery period while attending the Larry King Cardiac Rehab located on the campus of St Joseph Hospital in Atlanta Ga. The program director asked me to become a WomenHeart Champion and Support Leader to provide peer to peer support to women with heart disease and I accepted.

“Our WomenHeart Champion are our boots on the ground, the faces behind heart disease, and the reason we are so successful in our efforts to bring awareness to the number one killer of women,” says WomenHeart CEO Mary McGowan. “That’s why we’re thrilled to have three go-getters out on the forefront representing WomenHeart and encouraging all women to take control of their heart health.”

Burlington customers will have the chance to get a free heart health screening on Feb. 6 and March 20 at 50 selected Burlington store locations nationwide. Additionally, during February and March, Burlington associates will ask customers at checkout if they’d like to make a donation to women’s heart health and then donates the proceeds to WomenHeart. This generosity helps us advance women’s heart health through education, advocacy, and support resources.

WomenHeart is the only national organization dedicated solely to offering women with heart disease the support services they need in addition to educational resources, advocacy opportunities, a platform to raise their voices, and a com-munity of women just like them. With more than 850 trained WomenHeart Champions like me nationwide serving as ambassadors, educators, and support network leaders; my fellow WomenHeart Champions serve as crucial leaders in their com-munities providing social and emotional support through monthly meetings, outreach at health fairs, and educational resources through panels, or media appearances.

This Heart Month, I ask you to talk to the women you love and encourage them to stop by their local Burlington store on Feb. 6 or March 20 to get their free heart health screening. Together, we can educate ourselves and empower women to #KnockOutHeartDisease.

 

 

About Carma Henry 24363 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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