Buildings, businesses and even babies are “going red” across Middle Tennessee later this week.

It’s all part of National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 4, which reminds everyone that heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women age 20 and over, killing approximately one woman every minute, including nearly 10,000 Tennessee women per year.  More women die of heart disease than the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.  But only 1 woman in 5 believes heart disease is her biggest threat. National Wear Red Day is part of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women® movement to make women aware of their risk of heart disease and learn how to make healthy lifestyle changes to prevent it. Up to 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable.

Well-known media personalities, iconic buildings, businesses, and millions of people across America will all show their red this Friday.

How is Middle Tennessee “going red”? Highlights include:

Babies Go Red

On Friday the 4^th, Saint Thomas Heart at Baptist Hospital and Saint Thomas Heart at Middle Tennessee Medical Center will adorn their babies in the nursery with specially-made, newborn-sized red knit caps – instead of the traditional pink and blue – to help raise awareness for heart disease in women. Many of the women in these babies’ lives, including their mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters, or even the babies themselves, could be affected by heart disease at some point during their lifetime. The babies’ mothers will also be given a Go Red For Women® Red Dress pin. The red caps were knitted by Baptist Hospital volunteers who are part of the Ladies Auxiliary and by Helping Hands volunteers.

Buildings Go Red

In a spectacularly visual show of “red” unity, buildings in Middle Tennessee will be lighting their exteriors with red lights starting at sundown on February 4, to mark National Wear Red Day. The red lights will stay on all evening. The confirmed list includes:

• Tennessee State Capitol (staying red through Sunday, Feb. 6)
• The Frist Center for the Visual Arts (staying red for extended period of time)
• Parthenon
• Adventure Science Center
• Metro Courthouse, Nashville
• Deaderick St., Nashville – red laser lights on entire street
• Nashville Electric Service, 1214 Church St., Nashville
• Clear Channel Radio building, 55 Music Sq. W., Nashville
• American General Life and Accident Insurance Co.- 2000 American General Way, Nashville

Nashville Goes Red

At their meeting on February 1, the Metro Council of Nashville issued a proclamation recognizing Friday, February 4 as National Wear Red Day in Nashville.

Businesses Go Red

Many businesses around Middle Tennessee will participate in National Wear Red Day and American Heart Month during February by asking employees to wear red, decorating interior areas in red, sharing heart health information, providing free services or hosting internal fundraisers or public events.  Some of the businesses include:

• United Parcel Service: About 3000 UPS drivers in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi will be wearing Go Red For Women® messages on their uniforms while on their routes on February 4, while another 1000 office staff will be wearing red and Go Red For Women® Red Dress pins.
• Vanderbilt will be hosting a Lunch and Learn from noon to 1 p.m. on February 4 at Light Hall. The event is open to the public and will feature heart health information.

Other companies participating include:

• Affinion
• American General Life and Accident Insurance Co.
• Amerigroup
• Batten & Shaw
• Caremark
• Caterpillar Financial
• CBS Outdoor
• CCA
• Centennial
• Comdata
• Deloitte
• Direct General
• Earl Swensson Associates
• Enterprise Electric LLC
• Freeman Co.
• Macy’s
• Mars Petcare
• Maury Regional
• Middle Tennessee Medical Center
• NFIB
• nFocus Magazine
• Rumours Wine and Art Bar
• Nashville Symphony
• Saint Thomas Heart
• Skyline Medical Center
• SMS
• The Frist Center for the Visual Arts
• Thomson Reuters
• Trane
• TW Frierson
• UPS
• Williamson Medical Center
• WRVW 107.5 The River
• WZTV Fox 17

Any company or civic group interested in going red this month can download a free toolkit at GoRedforWomen.org/WearRedDay/Resources.

About Go Red For Women®

Go Red For Women® is part of the American Heart Association’s solution to help save women’s lives. With one out of three women still dying from heart disease, the association is committed to fighting this No. 1 killer, which is largely preventable. GoRedForWomen.org, a premiere source of information and education, connects millions of women of all ages and gives them tangible resources to turn personal choices into lifesaving actions. For more information, please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278). Go Red For Women® is nationally sponsored by Macy’s and Merck & Co., Inc. and locally sponsored by Saint Thomas Heart. Local media sponsors include Fox 17, WRVW 107.5 The River, nFocus Magazine and CBS Outdoor.