Photo courtesy of minnesota lynx
Lynx fans, put your red on! The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement are pleased to announce their joint alliance to help increase awareness of heart disease in women.
This nationally-driven partnership links WNBA teams and supportive communities across the country; including Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Washington D.C., and Minnesota’s prized Lynx women’s basketball team. The exciting new partnership will feature fun and informative “In-Arena†nights and coverage of Go Red For Women events on the WNBA’s website.
“Our hopes in partnering with Go Red For Women are to make both men and women aware of the risk factors, seek avenues to reduce their risk, and encourage the women in their lives to take action in preventing heart disease,†comments Katie Mattis, Minnesota Lynx senior manager of community relations. “As a professional women’s sports team and league, we feel it is our responsibility to utilize the platform we are privileged to have [in order to] generate awareness.â€
Barbara Ducharme, marketing director of the American Heart Association’s Twin Cities’ office, believes that many women are unfamiliar with the fact that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States. She hopes the partnership between the WNBA and Go Red For Women will generate national and local media exposure and stimulate heart disease awareness.
The partnership evolved, Ducharme explains, through the common priorities and interests of the two organizations in reaching women. The goal in the long run is to help women live longer, stronger, more heart-healthy lifestyles.
With the help of the players and the American Heart Association, Minnesota Lynx fans will learn about the WNBA Go Red For Women initiative during a special “Go Red Night†on Thursday, Aug. 16 when the Lynx take on the Detroit Shock. Fans attending the Go Red Night are encouraged to show support by wearing red clothing in honor of those affected by cardiovascular disease.
This heart-warming event will include a Go Red Information booth on the lower concourse, Lynx Head Coach Don Zierden wearing a red tie, and public service announcements–created personally by Lynx players–to be aired throughout the evening. The starting five players from each team will auction off their autographed Go Red warm-up shirts, and the event will recognize a “Hero in the Making,†an individual who has done outstanding work providing support or services to those affected by heart disease.
For more information about Go Red For Women, or how you can join the movement, call the American Heart Association at 952-278-3621 or visit www.GoRedForWomen.org
