National Wear Red Day in the Desert

By Angela Monroe

CREATED Feb. 1, 2013

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  • Here in the desert, the 6th annual Go Red for Women Luncheon will kick off next Friday. But this Friday, women helped raise awareness at Macy's in Palm Desert. Video by kmir6.com

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Friday is National Wear Red Day, a day to raise awareness about heart disease in women.
It is the number one cause of death in women.
Here in the desert, the 6th annual Go Red for Women Luncheon will kick off next Friday.
But this Friday, women helped raise awareness at Macy's in Palm Desert.

The red dress is a nationally recognized symbol of women's heart health.
Wearing the red dress is Deborah Kerrigan with the Kerrigan Family Medical Group -- one of the main sponsors of next week's Go Red for Women luncheon.
"I decided to personally become involved as a volunteer, at that time I had no idea how important the American Heart Association would become in our personal lives," said Deborah.
And the importance of that decision quickly followed.
"Six months following our involvement with the American Heart Association, my husband suffered a heart attack," said Deborah.
Over at their office in Palm Desert, Dr. Frank Kerrigan told us what happened.
"I had shortness of breath, I didn't have chest pain, I felt sick, just didn't feel good and lo and behold it was a heart attack," said Dr. Kerrigan.
As a heart attack survivor and doctor, Kerrigan raises awareness for heart health
"Cardiovascular disease that generally is the number one killer in the US for both men and women."
Dr. Kerrigan says you need to listen to your heart.
"Do the the best to take good care of yourself, know your risk, know your family history, be honest about that, see your doc, assess the risk with labs, stress tests if necessary, and most important, know your body."
Back at Macy's, a Desert Regional nurse practitioner checked shopper's blood pressure while the Go Red women spread the word about the  luncheon next Friday.
 "This is a wonderful day of heart health education, just awareness, we have some informative speakers, we have boutique shopping, and of course our fabulous red handbag auction," said Deborah.
So get out your red dress, shirt or tie to show your support of women's heart health.
And KMIR6 is proud to be a sponsor of the 6th annual Go Red for Women Luncheon, it's coming up next Friday at Westin Mission Hills Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage.
It'll be a full morning of activities including a silent auction, live music and a fashion show.