American Heart Association Announces 2015 Go Red For Native Women Heart Health Summit

OKLAHOMA CITY – The American Heart Association’s inaugural Go Red For Native Women Heart Health Summit will be held on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015 at the NCED Conference Center and Hotel, 2801 East State Hwy 9, Norman, OK, 73071. The one-day Summit is free to attend and will provide health screenings and educational classes on heart health, physical activity, nutrition and tobacco use beginning at 8 a.m.

“Part of the challenge for the Native American community is to raise awareness about the disease and its risk factors,” said Rachel Crawford, AHA Director of Health Equity, Native American/Alaska Native Initiatives. “For instance, Native Americans die from heart disease at younger ages than other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Additionally, Native women have high rates of diabetes, overweight and obesity, and high blood pressure, which are factors that increase heart disease risk.”

The Oklahoma Division of the American Heart Association recognized the need to create special outreach efforts in order to better educate the Native community on the risks of heart disease through this specially designed health conference for women.

This event is held in conjunction with the American Heart Association’s national Go Red for Women movement, which raises awareness among women about their No. 1 health threat - heart disease. For more information, please contact Rachel Crawford at (405) 593-6931 or visit http://www.heart.org/okgorednativewomen.

– About the American Heart Association: The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.