Publisher Note

Besides being a member of the “zipper club” myself, my father had a quadruple bypass when he was 45, and my father-inlaw died of congestive heart failure. When the American Heart Association asked me

to help, I absolutely could not say no. It seems I am not alone. CJ Ladner began supporting them 25 years ago in an effort to further research aimed at her family history of heart disease. The same is true for Meg Williams, Yvette Jemison and many others. Because we need to make a difference, we have all joined the Northshore Circle of Red.

It is surprising for many people to hear that heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country. In fact, it kills more women than the top five types of cancer—combined. The American Heart Association and more specifically, the Go Red for Women initiative, raises money to fund research and educates the community on the important warning signs that save lives. Do you know what to watch for?

Heart attack warning signs include: • Discomfort, often in the chest, but can also be felt in the jaw, arm, back, neck or stomach.

• Shortness of breath.

• Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Women are more likely to experience some of the less-common symptoms. My heart attack was preceded by nausea and shortness of breath. In a room of volunteers, over and over we talked about recognizing these symptoms in those we love before paying attention to them in ourselves. It is time to change that.

You may have heard the FAST acronym for stroke warning signs. They include Facial numbness, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty—Time to call 911! If you’d like to learn more, check out page 68. Or log onto GoRedForWomen.org.