Chelsey Jones
Staff Writer/MC301
According to the American Heart Association, 1 out of 3 women die from heart disease and stroke every year.
National Wear Red Day, which will take place on Feb. 3, is a day dedicated to bringing awareness to heart disease and stroke among women by wearing the color red all day. The Latasha Norman Center for Counseling Services (LNC) has joined the cause to spread awareness about heart disease and stroke on Jackson State University’s campus.
This is the center’s second year observing National Wear Red Day.
“The center is providing annual ongoing education and awareness futuristically as statistics report successful outcomes using prevention and education,” said LaQuita Sims, LNC campus resource advocate.
Sims stated that center is committed to education and raising awareness.
“An article written by the American Journal of Medicine discussed the importance of mental health and the associations with cardiovascular disease. The team recognizes that according to the National Heart Association, heart disease is the number 1 killer amongst women. The article continues to bring national attention to the successful accomplishments since the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute took action in bringing awareness to heart disease in women,” said Sims.
The LNC team not only wants to raise awareness about how many women die from strokes and heart disease but they also want to educate women on prevention.
“The team encourages the establishment of developing healthy coping skills to combat day-to-day stressors,” Sims said. “We support utilizing methods such as healthy eating, getting plenty of rest, deep breathing with muscle relaxation, journaling, exercising, meditation, daily positive affirmations and most importantly seeking professional help that assists with cognitive and behavioral maturation.”
National Wear Red Day is an offspring of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. According to their website, 501 fundraisers have raised over $40,000 for the campaign. The Latasha Norman Center plans on donating to the organization in the future.
“Since researching National Wear Red Day last year and recognizing heart disease and stroke being the number 1 killer in women, our team will discuss the importance of donation and support utilizing more internal and external collaborations using education and prevention,” added Sims.
The center encourages campus-wide participation in wearing red on Friday, Feb. 3.
For more information, the Latasha Norman Center for Counseling Services is located on the 2nd floor of the Student Center at suite 2102. The center’s contact number is (601) 979-0374.
