Mall America is home to many events, ranging anywhere from concerts to book signings to the occasional star sighting. This first weekend of February was no different in the idea of an event, but the kind of event held was very different and near and dear to each of our hearts – literally. Saturday, February 5th Mall of America was home to the American Heart Associations Go Red for Women campaign promoting heart health specifically in women. While heart disease affects both men and women alike, what many people don’t know is that heart disease is the number one killer of women each year. Statistics show that every minute, one woman dies from heart disease in the United States (Myths & Truths of Women and Heart Disease).
That’s a pretty scary fact, right? That’s why the AHA (American Heart Association) has launched the Go Red for Women campaign to raise awareness about this growing problem and to educate women to better their lives, as well as better the lives of all of the women they will tell and impact.
Upon visiting the rotunda, where the event was centered around, your eyes are overwhelmed with the color red. Everyone attending the events were encouraged to wear red, not only to show your support, but also because many retailers in the mall were offering special discounts and incentives for customers choosing to support such an important cause. This is not only a traffic driver for the mall stores, but also a morale booster for participants and mall go-ers. When I first arrived to the event, I was overcome with a sense of unity and togetherness. All of these women, from many different walks of life, had come together to support a cause that is special to them. Being part of the crowd, you could sense the pride between these women. They were here because they believe in this cause, and because they wanted to not only better their lives, but also better the lives of their friends, aunts, sisters, daughters and co-workers. Each of these women attending these seminars was leaving with the most powerful gift of all – the gift of knowing how to change their lives for the better.
One of the most interesting things about the Go Red campaign at the Mall of America was their use in the mall’s space and all of the different activities the AHA had set up for visitors. In the main rotunda, there was a fashion show for heart disease survivors modeling clothing provided by Macy’s and the University of Minnesota fashion design students. In the Nordstrom court, Medtronic set up a “Family Fun Fitness Area” for families with kids to play, while Macy’s court had Health East professionals on site to provide free heart health screenings. Lucky for me, my numbers were right on track and the woman told me I had a wonderful and strong heart. A free check-up is always nice, especially when the results are favorable. The last stop I made was at the Bloomingdale’s court to watch chef’s from my favorite restaurant in the Mall of America, CRAVE, prepare heart-friendly dishes. I unfortunately couldn’t get close enough to see what they were preparing, but the delicious smells made me questions...could this actually be good for my heart? If so, I’ll gladly change my diet for the better of my heart!
The most rewarding thing to me out of it all was the sense of belonging. I didn’t know a single person at this event but somehow, at every stop I made; I ended up chatting with a couple women about their occupations, interests, why they decided to stop at the event. Each woman had a unique story and wanted her voice to be heard. Through it all, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks for bettering my heart health, and I hope each of you will take the time to learn what you can do to better your heart health and Go Red with your support!
For more information, please visit:
"2011 Wear Red Day Is February 4th." Save the Date - Wear Red. Blogspot. Web. 09 Feb. 2011. <http://go-red-2010.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-wear-red-for-women-day-is-february.html>.
"American Heart Association." American Heart Association. American Heart Association. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. <http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/>.
"Myths & Truths on Women and Heart Disease." WomenHeart: Welcome to WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. WomenHeart. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. <http://www.womenheart.org/resources/mythstruths.cfm>.
Live event observation. Mall of America. 5 February 2011. 11 A.M. to 2 P.M.
By: Chelsea Brown
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