Focus on Health Program Bulletin

Bring the Heart Truth to your community! Most women do not know heart disease is the #1 killer of women. Only about one-third of women recognize heart disease as the leading cause of death. Only 9 percent of women ages 45 to 64 name heart disease as the condition they most fear, while 61 percent name breast cancer. Women fail to make the connection between the risk factors, their own personal risk factors, and their vulnerability for heart disease.

The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign on women’s heart health sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The goal is to “put a face on heart disease.” In order to reach as many women as possible, the Heart Truth uses a multifaceted approach. The components include:

• A kit designed to get the message out to your community
• Public service announcements
• Partnerships with other organizations focused on heart disease, including the American Heart Association, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health.
• The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women (PDF) and other consumer materials
• Web pages that provide access to information

What can Clubwomen do?

• Schedule a Heart Truth for Women seminar
  • Start planning now. Select a date that corresponds with a special event.
    • September, National Cholesterol Education month
    • January, New Year’s Resolution month
    • February, American Heart month
    • May, Mother’s Day, American Stroke month
  • Send for the Heart Truth speaker’s kit by contacting GFWC’s Programs’ Department at Programs@GFWC.org.
  • Place posters and flyers (found in the kit) at community sites; enlist other women’s groups to help promote the event through their group e-mails, newsletters, and meetings.
  • Copy the handouts made available in the kits
  • Contact local businesses, hospitals, civic clubs, exercise facilities, and colleges. Ask if your club could sponsor a Heart Truth program at their facility during the lunch period or after work.
  • No special training is needed to make the presentation. The script, video, handouts, and other resources are available in the kit. A nurse or health care provider can act as a professional resource.
• Show support for the Heart for Women Act (H.R.1032/S.422) reintroduced in Congress in February 2009.
  • Visit the Women Heart website of the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.
  • Take action now by checking the Legislation Action Alert to see if your Congressperson is on the current list of co-sponsors.
  • Follow the guide to contacting your Congressperson for support of the bill.
  • Visit the Prevention and Early Detection section for the healthy heart tips and articles including what questions to ask your doctor.
  • Read the Resources section to find several publications: the Women and Heart Disease Fact Sheet, the Report on Heart Disease Prevalence State to State, and Information on Your Cholesterol Numbers.
• Do Something  for Yourself and All Women
  • Read, React, Respond, Report on your participation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INFORMATION IN THIS BULLETIN

» National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

» Women Heart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

—Dana Clark (Pa.), GFWC Focus on Health Program Chairman