Wearing Red on Friday is just one step to help fight heart disease

Are you red-y?

Friday, Feb. 4, is National Wear Red Day®, a chance to show your support for women in the fight against cardiovascular disease, their No. 1 cause of death.

It's easy to get involved. First, like every year on Wear Red Day, you and your friends can rock your favorite red attire on Friday. (Keep an eye out for others, such as over 90 national television news anchors, who will be wearing red — and training their spotlight on heart disease.)

You'll also find "ready to wear" images for your social media, and even Zoom backgrounds, on our National Wear Red Day webpage.

Friday is also a great day, after two tough years of the pandemic, to begin to "reclaim your rhythm" — that is, to take back control of your mental and physical health. Tell us how you're reclaiming your rhythm in social postings this month (#WearRedDay, #WearRedandGive, #HeartMonth).

A streaming event premiering on the AHA's YouTube channel may be just what you need for inspiration. Tune in at 1 p.m. Central for "Reclaim Your Rhythm With Go Red for Women" as a powerful group of speakers shares the latest on women's health and well-being. They'll also describe how the Go Red for Women movement is achieving equitable health through research, education and advocacy.

You can add to all this momentum by donating to fight heart disease and stroke. Double your impact on National Wear Red Day with donations matched by Big Lots and the Big Lots Foundation up to $333,333 on heart.org. Or you can launch your own fundraiser in just three steps, and invite your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others to help women live longer and healthier. (And if your company or community group already has a team, you can join it!)

Also, don't forget to Go Red When You Shop — CVS Pharmacies are raising funds and awareness through March 5, as are Big Lots! stores through Feb. 20.

Other heart-related happenings Friday include:

• Sybil Wilkes will feature the AHA's celebration of Black History Month on her podcast.
• TV personality and National AHA volunteer Star Jones will guest-host ABC-TV's "The View" and turn the panel red.
• TikTok star JT Laybourne will host a "Live from the Heart" fundraising event.

Wear Red Day also marks the launch of Woman of Impact and Teen of Impact, a nine-week campaign to drive awareness and raise funds locally for women's heart health. Woman of Impact nominees and their Impact Teams from across the U.S. make a difference in their local communities' fight against heart disease by participating in activities focused on awareness, advocacy, research, teaching CPR, engaging women in healthy habits and more.

Over 350 women have signed on as Woman of Impact nominees this year. At the end of the campaign, on World Health Day, the top nominee in each community will be named the local Woman of Impact or Teen of Impact award winner.

Follow the American Heart Association (@AmericanHeart) and Go Red for Women (@GoRedforWomen) on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.