March 9, 2025 • 12 mins
We spoke with board member Elizabeth Devito about the American Heart Association of CT's "Go Red for Women Campaign"
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. My
guest this morning is Liz Devido. She's the chair for
the Greater Hertford Go Read for Women campaign. So February
was Heart Health Month and the American Heart Association is
amazing at helping everyone get their heart healthy, but especially women.
So right now you have the Go Read for Women movement?
(00:22):
What is that all about?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
So, yes, February was Heart Health Month and we did
see a lot of good activity socially and through the
media trying to get women to focus on heart health.
And so the Go Read for Women movement is actually
something that the American Heart Association started to basically address
the differences that heart health or cardiovascular disease shows up
(00:47):
in women different than men. So it is actually amazing
when you think about some of the stats that I'll
share with you. Cardiovascular disease actually claims the lives of
almost five hundred thousand American women every year, but women
don't pay attention to it because when you think about it,
women put everyone else first, right, your kids, your family,
(01:09):
and so we tend to not pay attention to the
things that show up in us that could be heart related.
So the go Red for Women movement is really designed
to provide a passionate, emotional social initiative that will empower
women to basically know more and to take charge of
(01:29):
their heart health.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
And you also focus on stroke for this campaign.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So stroke is actually the third cause of death in
women and claims the lives of at least one in
five women. And actually another interesting stat about fifty five
thousand more women than men actually have a stroke every year.
And so some of the things to look out for.
You know, there is an acronym called fast, So if
(01:55):
you start to experience symptoms that are in this acron
and face dropage, weakness in your arms, So that's the
speech difficulty, the tea is time to call nine to
one one not something you really want to wait on
if you're experiencing those symptoms. So yeah, stroke is definitely
a risky er event that could happen in women than men.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
So how is Go Read for Women making a difference?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
So Go Read for Women is the movement, right, So
we actually fund research through the American Heart Association to
advance innovative solutions specific to women's unique health issues. So
when you think about as a woman, we go through
different things in different stages of things health wise in
our life. Some of us may get pregnant, most of
(02:44):
us go through menopause, some of it's more painful than others,
and these events cause an increase in cardiovascular disease in women.
So the AAJAS Go Red for Women movement basically tries
to promote programs, provide education and there are some really
awesome online materials that will provide support to increasing the
(03:05):
awareness and educating women about how heart health should be managed,
how cardiovascular disease shows up, and give women tools and
support networks that they can actually use to take action.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And you're also passing policies to make access to critical
healthcare and life saving training and technology for women everywhere,
which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
That is yeah, it is definitely something the local team
here actually encourages going to the capital to be very
present there to promote the awareness.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
So what are some of the things that women should
know about their health and heart disease and stroke?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
You know, forty four percent of women are actually aware
that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death. Most people,
like I mentioned earlier, think it's cancer or something else,
and so there is you know, a large population of
women that we have the opportunity to increase that awareness
(04:03):
and education. Females twenty years of age and older actually
have forty five percent of that group rather have some
form of cardiovascular disease. So females over the age of
twenty are experiencing cardiovascular disease. And when you think about that,
most people attribute heart disease, heart health, high blood pressure
(04:28):
with people who are probably in the older age let's
say maybe over fifty. To have that fat be as
it is is pretty amazing, and so it is. I've
heard many, many stories in my role here as a
campaign chair and just in my experience as on the
leadership team for the AGA of stories of women who
(04:51):
have just had their first baby or found out they
have a cardiovascular issue during their pregnancy. So it doesn't
just hit women who are older, It hits all women,
It hits people of different ages and racial groups differently. Strokes,
so you asked about stroke. Stroke is the number three
(05:11):
cause of death and women, and as I mentioned earlier,
one in five which is a pretty amazing stat will
have a stroke. So the Go Red movement is really
trying to, like I said, produce materials be vocal, be
present and aware or be present enacted rather in the
community to hit women and hit women with information and
(05:36):
a support network so that they can take action to
do things different in their lives to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
And what are some of those things that we can
do to prevent cardiovascular disease?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah, great question, because there are things that you can
do to take control. Obviously, eating better, right, eating good,
eating healthy, eating good food, fruits thatgetables, low fat foods
Limiting fast food intake might be good, limiting alcohol intake.
I have a quote that I use in my family.
(06:10):
It's move it or lose it. So move more, be active,
you know, get out there, take a walk, even a
ten minute walk. Stand up every hour. A lot of
us have these fits and other heart monitors that we wear.
Pay attention to the messages that come through that device.
And stand up. Stand at your desk. A lot of
us have stand up desks, so not sitting. Sitting is
(06:33):
another a health issue all in and of itself. Maintaining
a healthy weight, Quitting smoking for those of us that
may smoke, you know, maybe it could be your twenty
twenty five resolution to kick that habit. Managing blood pressure.
So blood pressure, I actually experience an issue with blood pressure.
(06:55):
It is a hereditary thing in my family. I'm actually
part of a check it challenge that's starting in a
few days here where I'm part of a group that
will keep each other honest to take our blood pressure
once or twice a day and track the numbers. Sleeping well,
I don't think I get as much sleep as I could,
(07:16):
but I could get better. So managing stress and sleep
have such a good correlation to each other. The more
you sleep, the better you sleep, the more soundly you sleep,
the better you're able to manage stress, the better you're
able to manage your cardiovascular health. And then talking to
your doctor about family history. I mentioned that I have
(07:37):
a little bit of a history of heart disease in
my side, on my dad's side. I unfortunately lost my
father to heart disease, which is why I'm so passionate
about moving or participating in the Go Red for Women movement.
But talking to your doctor about your family history and
being aware of the risk that you might be at
and getting the tools to help you address the risk.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
So you became involved because of your history with your dad.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I did so ten years ago, I lost my dad
to heart disease.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
I watch so sorry crazily.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, thank you for that. And so a lot of
times when we open our meetings, you know, in our
team that helps with this movement, we always ask what's
your why you know, why are you involved? What brings
you to the Go Red for Women movement? What makes
you so involved? And so Yeah, So I have a daughter,
(08:33):
I have a sister, My mom is thankfully still alive,
and we're all very focused on heart health and staying
active and staying healthy and the awareness of the things
that we can be doing differently and better to improve
our heart health as top of mind.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
So you have a very special event coming up on
March twenty sixth. It's the Greater Hartford Go Red for
Women Lunch and take me through what's going to happen
that day.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Yeah, So it'll be a real and I encourage any
and all of your listeners. If possible, we welcome anybody
and everyone to come to the event. It's going to
be held on Wednesday, March twenty sixth, starting off at
eleven thirty. We have what's called a Festival of Red Thinks.
The Red Carpet right so we'll greet you at the
top of the escalator in the convention center, and there
(09:20):
will be a whole host of fun things to do.
We have a find your Bread lipstick sponsored by Limelife
by al Cone. We will have a photography there to
take professional headshots. She was there last year, takes beautiful photos.
A DJ will be there DJQ Boogie spending your favorite
(09:43):
tunes throughout the event. We obviously are going to have
a silent auction, because what's a good event without a
good silent auction. So we have thousands of dollars worth
of fantastic prizes, one of which is an all inclusive
trip to Antigua. We've got a beautiful full twenty two
carrot gold leaf tendent necklace and earrings from so generously
(10:07):
donated by lux Bonding Green. We've got a ton of
different getaways. So's that'll take you an hour before the
luncheon actually starts at twelve thirty, and that luncheon in
the program will run till two o'clock. We'll have a
heart healthy lunch and so we do have a survivor speaker,
Kirsten Dorsey, who will talk about having open heart surgery
(10:28):
and a C section on the same day, if you
can even imagine going for that. And then our keynote
speaker is Andy Campbell and she's a super sweetie president
of Wells Bark Help, and she's going to talk about
listening to your instinct. And I mentioned this earlier. It
is like listening to those voices in you as a
woman that sort of tune you into knowing that something
(10:52):
intuitively should be you should be doing, or might be
going wrong. So she's going to guide us through listening
to your instinct and that quiet knowingness that bubbles for
all of us below the surface, and how your sixth
sense is your most powerful health advocate. So I'm really
excited about the day. I have a great team of
(11:12):
women who have been helping plan this, so we're all
really excited to have the culminating event happen here in
a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
So where can women go for information about the luncheon?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
So you can actually go to www dot dot heart
dot org, backslash go red Hartford And I would think
if you google the Greater Hartford go Red for women luncheon, right,
the results on that will definitely come up.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
And if anybody would like information about keeping their heart healthy,
you can just go to heart dot org and again
go Red for Women dot org. I'm speaking with Liz DeVito.
She's a chair for the Greater Hartford Go Red for
Women campaign. Thank you so much for being here today
and for paying it forward and for caring about women.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
You're very welcome, and thank you so much for having
me appreciate that
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. My
guest this morning is Liz Devido. She's the chair for
the Greater Hertford Go Read for Women campaign. So February
was Heart Health Month and the American Heart Association is
amazing at helping everyone get their heart healthy, but especially women.
So right now you have the Go Read for Women movement?
(00:22):
What is that all about?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
So, yes, February was Heart Health Month and we did
see a lot of good activity socially and through the
media trying to get women to focus on heart health.
And so the Go Read for Women movement is actually
something that the American Heart Association started to basically address
the differences that heart health or cardiovascular disease shows up
(00:47):
in women different than men. So it is actually amazing
when you think about some of the stats that I'll
share with you. Cardiovascular disease actually claims the lives of
almost five hundred thousand American women every year, but women
don't pay attention to it because when you think about it,
women put everyone else first, right, your kids, your family,
(01:09):
and so we tend to not pay attention to the
things that show up in us that could be heart related.
So the go Red for Women movement is really designed
to provide a passionate, emotional social initiative that will empower
women to basically know more and to take charge of
(01:29):
their heart health.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
And you also focus on stroke for this campaign.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So stroke is actually the third cause of death in
women and claims the lives of at least one in
five women. And actually another interesting stat about fifty five
thousand more women than men actually have a stroke every year.
And so some of the things to look out for.
You know, there is an acronym called fast, So if
(01:55):
you start to experience symptoms that are in this acron
and face dropage, weakness in your arms, So that's the
speech difficulty, the tea is time to call nine to
one one not something you really want to wait on
if you're experiencing those symptoms. So yeah, stroke is definitely
a risky er event that could happen in women than men.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
So how is Go Read for Women making a difference?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
So Go Read for Women is the movement, right, So
we actually fund research through the American Heart Association to
advance innovative solutions specific to women's unique health issues. So
when you think about as a woman, we go through
different things in different stages of things health wise in
our life. Some of us may get pregnant, most of
(02:44):
us go through menopause, some of it's more painful than others,
and these events cause an increase in cardiovascular disease in women.
So the AAJAS Go Red for Women movement basically tries
to promote programs, provide education and there are some really
awesome online materials that will provide support to increasing the
(03:05):
awareness and educating women about how heart health should be managed,
how cardiovascular disease shows up, and give women tools and
support networks that they can actually use to take action.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And you're also passing policies to make access to critical
healthcare and life saving training and technology for women everywhere,
which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
That is yeah, it is definitely something the local team
here actually encourages going to the capital to be very
present there to promote the awareness.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
So what are some of the things that women should
know about their health and heart disease and stroke?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
You know, forty four percent of women are actually aware
that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death. Most people,
like I mentioned earlier, think it's cancer or something else,
and so there is you know, a large population of
women that we have the opportunity to increase that awareness
(04:03):
and education. Females twenty years of age and older actually
have forty five percent of that group rather have some
form of cardiovascular disease. So females over the age of
twenty are experiencing cardiovascular disease. And when you think about that,
most people attribute heart disease, heart health, high blood pressure
(04:28):
with people who are probably in the older age let's
say maybe over fifty. To have that fat be as
it is is pretty amazing, and so it is. I've
heard many, many stories in my role here as a
campaign chair and just in my experience as on the
leadership team for the AGA of stories of women who
(04:51):
have just had their first baby or found out they
have a cardiovascular issue during their pregnancy. So it doesn't
just hit women who are older, It hits all women,
It hits people of different ages and racial groups differently. Strokes,
so you asked about stroke. Stroke is the number three
(05:11):
cause of death and women, and as I mentioned earlier,
one in five which is a pretty amazing stat will
have a stroke. So the Go Red movement is really
trying to, like I said, produce materials be vocal, be
present and aware or be present enacted rather in the
community to hit women and hit women with information and
(05:36):
a support network so that they can take action to
do things different in their lives to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
And what are some of those things that we can
do to prevent cardiovascular disease?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah, great question, because there are things that you can
do to take control. Obviously, eating better, right, eating good,
eating healthy, eating good food, fruits thatgetables, low fat foods
Limiting fast food intake might be good, limiting alcohol intake.
I have a quote that I use in my family.
(06:10):
It's move it or lose it. So move more, be active,
you know, get out there, take a walk, even a
ten minute walk. Stand up every hour. A lot of
us have these fits and other heart monitors that we wear.
Pay attention to the messages that come through that device.
And stand up. Stand at your desk. A lot of
us have stand up desks, so not sitting. Sitting is
(06:33):
another a health issue all in and of itself. Maintaining
a healthy weight, Quitting smoking for those of us that
may smoke, you know, maybe it could be your twenty
twenty five resolution to kick that habit. Managing blood pressure.
So blood pressure, I actually experience an issue with blood pressure.
(06:55):
It is a hereditary thing in my family. I'm actually
part of a check it challenge that's starting in a
few days here where I'm part of a group that
will keep each other honest to take our blood pressure
once or twice a day and track the numbers. Sleeping well,
I don't think I get as much sleep as I could,
(07:16):
but I could get better. So managing stress and sleep
have such a good correlation to each other. The more
you sleep, the better you sleep, the more soundly you sleep,
the better you're able to manage stress, the better you're
able to manage your cardiovascular health. And then talking to
your doctor about family history. I mentioned that I have
(07:37):
a little bit of a history of heart disease in
my side, on my dad's side. I unfortunately lost my
father to heart disease, which is why I'm so passionate
about moving or participating in the Go Red for Women movement.
But talking to your doctor about your family history and
being aware of the risk that you might be at
and getting the tools to help you address the risk.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
So you became involved because of your history with your dad.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I did so ten years ago, I lost my dad
to heart disease.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
I watch so sorry crazily.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, thank you for that. And so a lot of
times when we open our meetings, you know, in our
team that helps with this movement, we always ask what's
your why you know, why are you involved? What brings
you to the Go Red for Women movement? What makes
you so involved? And so Yeah, So I have a daughter,
(08:33):
I have a sister, My mom is thankfully still alive,
and we're all very focused on heart health and staying
active and staying healthy and the awareness of the things
that we can be doing differently and better to improve
our heart health as top of mind.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
So you have a very special event coming up on
March twenty sixth. It's the Greater Hartford Go Red for
Women Lunch and take me through what's going to happen
that day.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Yeah, So it'll be a real and I encourage any
and all of your listeners. If possible, we welcome anybody
and everyone to come to the event. It's going to
be held on Wednesday, March twenty sixth, starting off at
eleven thirty. We have what's called a Festival of Red Thinks.
The Red Carpet right so we'll greet you at the
top of the escalator in the convention center, and there
(09:20):
will be a whole host of fun things to do.
We have a find your Bread lipstick sponsored by Limelife
by al Cone. We will have a photography there to
take professional headshots. She was there last year, takes beautiful photos.
A DJ will be there DJQ Boogie spending your favorite
(09:43):
tunes throughout the event. We obviously are going to have
a silent auction, because what's a good event without a
good silent auction. So we have thousands of dollars worth
of fantastic prizes, one of which is an all inclusive
trip to Antigua. We've got a beautiful full twenty two
carrot gold leaf tendent necklace and earrings from so generously
(10:07):
donated by lux Bonding Green. We've got a ton of
different getaways. So's that'll take you an hour before the
luncheon actually starts at twelve thirty, and that luncheon in
the program will run till two o'clock. We'll have a
heart healthy lunch and so we do have a survivor speaker,
Kirsten Dorsey, who will talk about having open heart surgery
(10:28):
and a C section on the same day, if you
can even imagine going for that. And then our keynote
speaker is Andy Campbell and she's a super sweetie president
of Wells Bark Help, and she's going to talk about
listening to your instinct. And I mentioned this earlier. It
is like listening to those voices in you as a
woman that sort of tune you into knowing that something
(10:52):
intuitively should be you should be doing, or might be
going wrong. So she's going to guide us through listening
to your instinct and that quiet knowingness that bubbles for
all of us below the surface, and how your sixth
sense is your most powerful health advocate. So I'm really
excited about the day. I have a great team of
(11:12):
women who have been helping plan this, so we're all
really excited to have the culminating event happen here in
a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
So where can women go for information about the luncheon?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
So you can actually go to www dot dot heart
dot org, backslash go red Hartford And I would think
if you google the Greater Hartford go Red for women luncheon, right,
the results on that will definitely come up.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
And if anybody would like information about keeping their heart healthy,
you can just go to heart dot org and again
go Red for Women dot org. I'm speaking with Liz DeVito.
She's a chair for the Greater Hartford Go Red for
Women campaign. Thank you so much for being here today
and for paying it forward and for caring about women.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
You're very welcome, and thank you so much for having
me appreciate that
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