February is American Heart Month, dedicated to fighting the most deadly disease in America. Approximately one in four deaths in this country can be attributed to heart disease. On Creighton’s campus, students have been active in supporting the fight against heart disease in a variety of ways.
On February 1st, students were encouraged to wear red as part of a nationwide event called “Go Red for Women,” which was sponsored by the American Heart Association.
“We simply aligned ourself with this initiative,” said Michaela Tallman, Director of the Lieben Center for Women, which also distributed buttons, materials on staying heart healthy, and ways to support the American Heart Association.
One group that has been particularly active in this cause is the Alpha Phi sorority. Between February 4-8, members of Alpha Phi sold Eileen’s cookies to raise money for their philanthropy, the Alpha Phi Foundation, which is dedicated to improving women’s heart health. Alpha Phi has also had tables at Becker, Brandeis, and Skutt where students could stop by and write something they could do to improve their cardiovascular health.
“Cardiac disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. As a group of all women, it is important to realize this could affect any one of us and there are steps we can be taking now to reduce our risks in the future,” Alpha Phi President Courtney Coslor said.
Despite the statistics, heart disease can be prevented by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, and abstaining from smoking. Another important factor is being aware of blood pressure levels.
“I hope Creighton students acknowledge that preventative measures can be taken now to decrease their risks of heart disease, whether it be improving their diet or hitting the gym more often,” Coslor said.
Each year the Alpha Phi Foundation awards a $50,000 grant to an organization focused on improving women’s cardiovascular health, called the Heart to Heart Grant, which was awarded to the University of Washington’s Division of Cardiology in 2012. Alpha Phi has also hosted a free yoga lesson open to all Creighton women in sororities.
“Heart disease can impact women at any age, and the American Heart Association encourages women as young as 20 to get a baseline cholesterol and blood pressure reading,” said Tallman.
For more information, visit www.heart.org