Women’s Health Digital Experience to Empower Connecticut Women

Dr. Lisa A. Freed of Yale New Haven Health to Lead Fundraising Efforts

The American Heart Association’s annual New Haven Go Red for Women Event, presented Women’s Health Digital Experience to Empower Connecticut Womenby the Heart and Vascular Center of Yale New Haven Health, will take place on Thursday, February 11, 2021. This year’s event will be a digital experience focusing on women’s heart health. It will provide women with information, education and awareness they need to help reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Women’s Health Digital Experience to Empower Connecticut Women

Dr. Lisa Freed

The event is being chaired by Dr. Lisa A. Freed who is a clinical cardiologist, Director of the Women’s Heart and Vascular Program at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Heart and Vascular Center, assistant clinical professor of medicine and an avid advocate for women; lecturing locally on all issues surrounding women and heart disease. Dr Freed will be leading the fundraising effort with volunteers, survivors, and business leaders to support New Haven Go Red for Women. The funds raised will be allocated to research and education with the goal of increasing heart health awareness and reducing disability and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke in Connecticut’s female population.

“Heart disease is still sometimes thought of as a man’s disease, although the same number of women and men die each year of heart disease in the United States.” said Dr. Lisa Freed. “Despite increases in awareness over the past decade, only 54% of women recognize that heart disease is their No. 1 killer. This event will help to empower women to take charge of their heart health and save lives.”

The Go Red event will kick off at 6:00 p.m. with an educational program featuring a keynote address, an inspiring survivor story, a fundraising appeal, and several health experts sharing educational information from Yale New Haven Health. A silent auction will also be featured.

This year’s New Haven Go Red for Women campaign will also feature a STEM Goes Red Women’s Health Digital Experience to Empower Connecticut Womendigital event in conjunction with Yale New Haven Health. STEM Goes Red, an extension of the Go Red for Women movement, fosters young women’s interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and encourages them to explore careers in those disciplines. On February 3, 2021, more than 75 students from around Connecticut will participate in a digital event featuring mentor speakers from various backgrounds in STEM careers. There will also be an interactive science trivia game. Dr. Freed will also lead the STEM event.

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. By encouraging young women to pursue careers in the STEM fields, the American Heart Association aims to help spur the next Women’s Health Digital Experience to Empower Connecticut Womengeneration of scientists and researchers to save millions of women from heart disease and stroke.

“This STEM experience will be an energizing component of our Go Red event to inspire an extraordinary group of female high school students who may not be aware of STEM study-track possibilities. The goal is to close the gender gap in STEM fields and to inspire these students to become advocates for women’s heart health.” said Dr. Freed. “These future innovators will interact with leaders and mentors in STEM, and will be transformed, knowing they can have an impact in their world by following in those leaders’ footsteps.”

To attend the 2021 New Haven Go Red for Women digital event, or for sponsorship information, call Todd Boe at the American Heart Association, 203-295-2941. For information about Go Red for Women, visit www.goredforwomen.org.