VCU wears red for heart disease awareness

Hundreds gathered at the Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building courtyard Friday to raise awareness for women’s heart disease.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, yet many do not view it as a serious risk.

The main misconception is that people believe heart disease can be cured through surgery. The truth is it can only be treated over time to reduce the risks of heart attack or failure.

The Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease, created National Wear Red Day in 2003 to combat this problem.

Dr. Sheldon Retchin, vice president for health sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System, said this was the first time VCU had celebrated National Wear Red Day.

“We have rallied for women’s health issues before, but never for heart disease,” he said.

“I have a young daughter, a young wife and a young mother. Heart disease is not on the decline, yet it is so easily preventable.”

– Dr. Sheldon Retchin, vice president for health sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System

For more information on heart disease, visit http://www.thehearttruth.org

A steady stream of students, faculty and staff arrived at the courtyard for a group photo Friday morning. Participants were asked to wear red clothing, or a Heart Truth Red Dress Pin. Red balloons were also passed out. At 11:45 a.m., the group posed in a large taped-off area in the shape of a heart for the picture, as well as for live footage for local television stations.

Pam Lepley, director of university news services, said many were involved in making the day successful.

“The event was spearheaded by women across both VCU campuses-physicians, nurses, medical staff, faculty, administrators and students,” she said. “It was a grass roots effort that really took off.”

For Retchin, getting the message out about heart disease hits close to home.

“I have a young daughter, a young wife and a young mother,” he said. “Heart disease is not on the decline, yet it is so easily preventable.”

Sheryl Garland, vice president for community outreach, said events like Wear Red Day are important for the VCU Medical Center.

“It’s an opportunity to bring students, faculty and staff together for a common cause.”