The Fifteenth Annual American Heart Association Go Red For Women Benefit Luncheon to Take Place March 11, 2020
The American Heart Association announces that John F. Rodis. M.D. M.B.A., President, Saint Francis Hospital will serve as Chair of the 2020 Greater Hartford Go Red For Women Luncheon & STEM Goes Red.
The fifteenth annual benefit luncheon will take place, Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at the Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford. More than 500 women and men are expected to attend the event which is designed to empower women with the information, education and awareness needed to help reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.
Serving as Chair, Dr. Rodis will lead recruitment efforts of volunteers, survivors, and business leaders to help raise more than $400,000. Funds raised will go toward research and education to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke in Connecticut.
A new element of the Hartford Go Red For Women Luncheon is STEM Goes Red. STEM Goes Red, an extension of the GRFW movement, encourages young women’s interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and explore careers in those industries. On March 3, 2020, local high school students will attend the STEM Goes Red event at Stanley Black and Decker and participate in speed mentoring sessions, attend interactive breakout sessions, and hear insightful talks from industry leaders including Saint Francis Hospital. Those participating in the STEM Goes Red event will also attend the March 11th event.
“I look forward to encouraging these young women to explore careers in the science, technology, and health care industries,” says Dr. Rodis. “As a major teaching hospital Saint Francis sees first-hand the power of innovation, technology, and the importance of being active members of the education process. We are proud to partner with the American Heart Association in their efforts to offer young, emerging students new opportunities and encourage them to see all that STEM can provide for their future as well as the impact it can have on making our communities healthier.”
Although women fill close to half of all the jobs in the U.S. economy, they hold less than 25% of jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The American Heart Association, a science-based organization, strives to make significant changes to these statistics by empowering more women to seek careers in the sciences. In order to move medical breakthroughs forward, more women need a seat at the table, making significant contributions to the advancement of women’s healthcare.
The Go Red luncheon will kick off with registration at 10:00 am with a Women’s Wellness Showcase. The showcase features interactive stations, demonstrations, and healthy tips and activities, followed by a heart healthy luncheon and an inspirational keynote speaker.
Funds raised will go toward research and education to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke in Connecticut. Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a “man’s disease,” around the same number of women and men die each year of heart disease in the United States. Despite increases in awareness over the past decade, only 54% of women recognize that heart disease is their number 1 killer. Over 7,000 women die from heart disease in Connecticut every year.
The Go Red For Women movement challenges women to know their risk for heart disease and take action to reduce their personal risk. Furthermore, the movement plays a leading role in providing women with the tools they need to lead heart-healthy lives. Since its inception in 2004, close to two million women have signed up for the Go Red For Women Movement and statistics show that 96% of women registered achieved at least one health behavior change.
To attend the 2020 Greater Hartford Go Red For Women Luncheon or for sponsorship information, call Debbie Bender at the American Heart Association, 203-303-3317, or go to http://hartfordgoredluncheon.ahaevents.org. For information on Go Red For Women visit www.goredforwomen.org.