BeeHealthy
February is Heart Month

Heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in the United States, with Western New York holding the distinction as one of the highest risk areas in the entire country.

The risk hits Western New York women particularly hard, with CVD claiming one in two women in our area.

That is why the American Heart Association is again launching February as Heart Month with special attention to its Go Red for Women Campaign. This year, several events and programs will be held throughout the month to highlight the risk factors of heart disease and stroke.

On Jan. 31, Niagara Falls will be splashed in red to help draw national attention to the AHA's prevention and education messages.

Every hour on the half hour, the American side of the Falls will be illuminated with red lights. The lighting will hold for 15 minutes at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The lighting can be seen live on the Niagara Falls Web cam at http:// www. niagarafallslive. com.

At 10 a.m. Jan. 31, there will be a news conference at City Hall, where Mayor Byron Brown will proclaim February as American Heart Month in the City of Buffalo.

Joining the mayor will be Anne McCarthy, Go Red for Women chair, from Wegmans, and Gia Coone, executive director for the Western New York office of the American Heart Association.

That night, M&T Bank and the Iskalo Tower will join Niagara Falls to remind Western New Yorkers about the high risk of heart disease in this area.

Their buildings will be lighted red through Feb. 3 to help usher in a new era of awareness and action regarding the risks of heart disease and stroke and will highlight Wear Red Day on Feb. 2.

Feb. 2 is National Wear Red Day. Everyone is encouraged to wear red that Friday. Many local businesses and organizations will be participating in Wear Red fund-raisers, where employees pay $5 to wear something red.

The Heart Ball 2007 will be held on Feb. 3. Presenting sponsor, the Catholic Health System, will join with the American Heart Association in recognizing Independent Health as this year's winner of the Hero of the Heart Award.

The event is chaired by Tim Tevens, chief executive officer of Columbus McKinnon, and his wife, Colleen. The event will be held at Adam's Mark Hotel and includes a silent and live auction.

Autographed Sabres jerseys are among the premier items to be auctioned at the fund-raiser. Tickets for Heart Ball 2007 are $300 per person. For more information, call corporate events director Maria Merlino at 614-1988.

A special Valentine's Day gift wrap table will be set up in the Boulevard Mall Feb. 9-14. Proceeds from the weeklong event will benefit the Go Red for Women initiative.