In the midst of the all the love and romance of Valentine’s Day, another important aspect of the heart is featured in February…American Heart Month.
According to the CDC, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. We have discussed how heart disease has affected our own family and the multi-cultural community.
Discovery Familia, the only Spanish language channel solely dedicated to Latina Moms will join the fight against heart disease in February for National Heart Month. The “Escucha tu Corazon” (Listen To Your Heart) campaign amis to raise awareness and educate Hispanic women about heart disease, including their risk factors. The national initiative includes special on air programming, Public Service Announcements (PSAs), a microsite specifically created to provide information on the subject, and a special collaboration with the The Heart Truth®, a national campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
As part of the collaboration with The Heart Truth®campaign, Discovery Familia created PSAs that will feature Jeannette Torres-Álvarez, the official ambassador for Discovery Familia. The PSAs include information on risk factors such as being overweight and diabetes, and ways to prevent heart disease. They will be broadcast during the network’s nighttime programming, beginning February 6.
“Heart disease is the primary cause of death among Latinas in the United States. Any one of us could have a predisposition to heart disease. That is why we need to become informed, get our medical check-ups, be willing to change our lifestyles and always listen to our hearts,” stated Jeannette Torres-Álvarez, Discovery Familia’s ambassador.
As the network’s ambassador and representing Hispanic women, Jeannette has also been invited to participate in the The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection 2012 Fashion Show scheduled for February 8 at 7 PM ET in New York City. This annual event during New York Fashion Week brings together more than 20 celebrities walking the runway in fashions created by some of America’s top designers. The main aim is to raise awareness of the #1 killer of women and prompt women to take action to lower their risk for heart disease. The event can be watched live on the Discovery Familia website, www.discoveryfamilia.com.
Aprender Para Mantenerse Saludable!
- Disclosure: I wrote this post while participating in a compensated campaign with Discovery Familia and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
Good post! Really important for all women, especially black and latina women, to understand the risks with heart disease.
I started watching Discovery Familia on cable and really like the programs.