Senate President Therese Murray promotes women's heart health awareness at State House Go Red For Women event

(As Prepared):

This is always one of my favorite events every year, and it’s nice to see everyone wearing Red today.

I’d like to thank the Caucus of Women Legislators and the American Heart Association for their continual hard work on this important issue.

Our message is the same: We often think of heart disease as a man’s issue, but we need to increase awareness for women as well.

It remains the Number 1 killer of women, taking the life of 1 in 3 women every year.

That means women just like us – our mothers, sisters and friends – are dying at a rate of one per minute simply because they don’t know what you know … that heart disease kills.

Consider these statistics:

More women die of heart disease than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer;

1 in 3 American women die of heart disease, compared to 1 in 30 women who die of breast cancer;

And, 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.

That’s why we must make it our mission to raise awareness and inspire women to take charge of their health.

We need to make the right choices about diet, exercise and smoking;

We need to share our stories, inform one another and learn;

And we need to lead by example to help younger women avoid unhealthy habits and to help them take up the cause for healthy living and healthy hearts.

Women who understand the risks of heart disease, and know the steps to prevent it, are better equipped to avoid this serious threat to their health.

I am proud to be a part of this effort and to work with so many dedicated women and men on this issue.

So let’s keep getting the message out. … Today’s event and others like it across the Commonwealth and the nation are essential to carrying out our mission.

Thank you.

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