THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY HARHART, M. O'BRIEN, GEORGE, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, ADOLPH, AUMENT, BOBACK, D. COSTA, DEASY, DELOZIER, DeLUCA, DiGIROLAMO, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FLECK, GEIST, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, HAHN, HARPER, HENNESSEY, HICKERNELL, KAVULICH, KILLION, KNOWLES, KORTZ, KOTIK, LONGIETTI, MAJOR, MANN, MARSHALL, MARSICO, MILLARD, MURT, MUSTIO, MYERS, OBERLANDER, O'NEILL, PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, ROCK, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, CULVER, SONNEY, STERN, STEVENSON, SWANGER, THOMAS, TOOHIL, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATSON AND RAVENSTAHL, JANUARY 23, 2012

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JANUARY 23, 2012  

A RESOLUTION

Designating February 3, 2012, as "Wear Red for Women Day" in

Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Currently eight million women in the United States

are living with heart disease, yet only one in five American

women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat;

and

WHEREAS, Ninety percent of women have one or more risk

factors for developing heart disease; and

WHEREAS, Twenty-six percent of women die within a year of

suffering a heart attack, compared with 19% of men; and

WHEREAS, While one in 30 American women dies from breast

cancer each year, one in three dies of cardiovascular disease;

and

WHEREAS, Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of more than

419,000 American females each year, almost one death per minute;

and

WHEREAS, Only 43% of African-American women and 44% of

Hispanic women know that heart disease is their greatest health

risk, compared with 60% of Caucasian women; and

WHEREAS, Nearly as many women die of heart disease, stroke

and all other cardiovascular diseases than the next three

leading causes of death combined, including all cancers; and

WHEREAS, Only 16% of women surveyed in 2009 identified

cardiovascular disease as the greatest health problem facing

them; and

WHEREAS, In women, heart disease is too often a silent

killer, and less than a third of women in a recent survey

reported any early warning signs such as chest pain or

discomfort before a heart attack, compared with most men; and

WHEREAS, Common symptoms for women included pain of the jaw,

arm or back, but most reported a delay in seeking treatment

after the symptoms began of anywhere from 15 minutes to two

weeks; and

WHEREAS, Women are less likely to call 911 for themselves

when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack than they are if

someone else were having a heart attack; and

WHEREAS, Go Red for Women® is the American Heart

Association's national call to increase awareness about heart

disease, the leading cause of death for women, and to inspire

women to take charge of their heart health; and

WHEREAS, All women should learn their own personal risk for

heart disease, using tools such as the American Heart

Association's My Life Check, Go Red for Women® Heart CheckUp, Go

Red for Women® Better U, and by talking to their health care

providers; and

WHEREAS, Making the right choices relating to proper

nutrition, physical activity and other healthy lifestyle choices

is essential to living a heart-healthy life; and

WHEREAS, The truth is our lives are in our hands, we can stop

the number-one killer together by sharing the truth and we can

be the difference between life and death; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That in recognition of the importance of the

ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke, the House of

Representatives designate Friday, February 3, 2012, as "Wear Red

for Women Day" in Pennsylvania, and urge all citizens to show

their support for women and the fight against heart disease by

commemorating this day by the wearing of the color red, because

by increasing awareness, speaking up about heart disease and

empowering women to reduce their risk for cardiovascular

disease, we can save thousands of lives each year.