RESOLUTION NO. 160085

Recognizing the importance of the ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke by declaring Friday, February 5, 2016, to be National Red Day in Kansas City.

WHEREAS, heart disease is the number 1 killer of women yet, eighty percent of cardiac events can be prevented; and

WHEREAS, cardiovascular diseases cause one in three women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute; and

WHEREAS, ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease, yet only one in five American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat; and

WHEREAS, women are less likely to call 911 for themselves when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack than they are if someone else were having a heart attack; and

WHEREAS, only 43% of African American women and 44% of Hispanic women know that heart disease is their greatest health risk, compared with 60% of Caucasian women; and

WHEREAS, women involved with the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women® movement live healthier lives, nearly ninety percent have made at least one healthy behavior change; and

WHEREAS, Go Red For Women is asking all Americas to Go Red by wearing red and speaking red; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and Council hereby recognize the importance of the ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke by declaring Friday, February 5, 2016, to be National Red Day in Kansas City; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to the American Heart Association with the Mayor and Council urging all citizens to show their support for women and the fight against heart disease by commemorating this day by the wearing of the color red and by increasing awareness by speaking up about heart disease, and empowering women to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease.

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