Having a heart attack is no laughing matter. Deb Silvers can tell you this first hand.
She will present her topic on women’s heart health to civic groups and community members throughout the month of February. February is National Heart Month and Feb. 4 is National Wear Red Day.
Three years ago Deb, had a heart event. “It really threw me for a loop,” says Silvers, who has always been in good physical shape. “I took care of myself and really was healthy, but my heart still gave out on me.” She carried a multiple risk factor since both sides of her family suffered early heart disease. Seven months later she had a second heart event.
Silvers is now a spokesperson, or WomenHeart Champion, for WomenHeart, the nation’s only patient advocacy organization serving the 42 million American women living with or at risk for heart disease – the number one killer of women. WomenHeart is solely devoted to advancing women’s heart health through advocacy, community education, and the nation’s only patient support network for women living with heart disease.
WomenHeart wants all women to know their numbers-cholesterol, BMI, fasting glucose, blood pressure, and waist size. And know their risk factors.
Silvers will be speaking at the following locations and handing out Red Bags of Courage and educational materials on women and heart disease:
Feb. 3: Ladies of the First United Congregational Church
Feb. 8: Lionettes, Marly’s Restaurant
Feb. 19: Women’s Wellness Day (sign up at NL Chamber office)
Feb. 21: AARP, Washington Center Community Room
The public is welcome to attend any of these meetings.
WomenHeart is both a coalition and a community of thousands of members nationwide, including women heart patients and their families, physicians, and health advocates, all committed to helping women live longer, healthier lives. Silvers also donated Red Bags of Courage to Theda Clark New London, Appleton Cardiologists, Women Care, SCA.
Take charge of your heart health and get your free women’s heart health action kit at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.womenheart.org/kit.” target=”_blank”>www.womenheart.org/kit. Or attend a meeting this February right here in New London. For more information on a meeting, call Silvers at 920-982-6201. Read more next week about the heart failure symptoms to watch for and what Wear Red Day is all about. Remember, Feb. 4 is Wear Red Day.====
You can help support the women currently recovering from heart attack right here in our own community by giving of your hands and from your own heart. Knit or crochet a red scarf as part of the HeartScarves project which provides handmade red scarves to women with heart disease as a symbol of care and support.
Red Heart yarns, a Coats & Clark brand, and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease have joined forces to create the HeartScarves project kit. Inside each bag is everything needed to knit, crochet or weave a red scarf – one skein of yarn, Susan Bates size US 9 (5.5 mm) knitting needles or size US I-9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook (depending upon your craft), instructions from Red Heart for knitting or crocheting a scarf, plus interesting tidbits as to why knitting and crocheting are good for your own heart health.
HeartScarves can be made individually or in groups. For every kit purchased from www.shopredheart.com, Red Heart will donate $3 to WomenHeart. The kits are $12.99 each. To order your HeartScarves kit and get started today visit www.womenheart.org or www.redheart.com. Call Deb Silvers at 920-982-6201 if you have questions.