Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming the lives of 1 in 3 women. For more than two decades, Go Red for Women has encouraged awareness.
SEATTLE — Heightened awareness around cardiovascular health is in full swing now through the end of February during American Heart Month.
In western Washington, the American Heart Association’s signature initiative, Go Red for Women, is also underway.
Wear Red Day is set for Friday, Feb. 7. Women and men are encouraged to wear red, take their photos, and post to social media about heart health awareness.
While the majority of cardiac events can be prevented, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming the lives of 1 in 3 women.
For more than two decades, Go Red for Women has encouraged awareness.
The AHA has named five women with personal connections to heart disease and stroke as 2025 Washington ambassadors for Go Red for Women
The 2025 ambassadors include stroke survivor Cynthia Granada, cardiologist Dr. Ruchi Kapoor, cardiac arrest survivor Carla McCubbin, mom of a child with a heart defect Lee McGrath, and heart transplant recipient Macey Wright.
In 2022, Granada was working from home and attending an online training when her left arm went numb and weak. Thinking she was having a heart attack, Granada called her husband and told him they needed to go to the emergency room.
The hospital team performed tests and as the minutes ticked by, the numbness in Granada’s arm progressed to her leg and eventually her face. In time, she was told she was having a stroke and the medical team asked Granada if she wanted to receive a clot-busting medication. Despite the risks, she quickly said yes and the drug was able to reverse the effects of the stroke.
“Timing is really important,” Granada said. “You have a short window to receive the medication that will reverse whatever symptoms you are presenting at the moment. It’s very important as soon as you feel that if something is wrong, that you go to the emergency room so you can be treated in time. Once that window passes, you cannot receive the medication.”
Granada was only 44 when she had a stroke.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are. It doesn’t matter how healthy you are, really. It can happen at any time to anyone,” Granada said. “I exercise, I ate well, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, it’s all the things you’re supposed to do and it still happened. It can happen to anyone.”
Now, Granada is a proud Go Red for Women ambassador who hopes to encourage other women to take charge of their health and feel welcome to share their experiences.
“It can be very isolating going through your recovery especially when people don’t understand what you’re going through,” Granada said. “Listening to other women speak about their experiences. It just really touched a nerve with me and I felt like it was important for me to do the same for someone else.”
Granada said she will always raise awareness and shared this message with women: “I want women to not be afraid to care themselves. We really do put ourselves second and we believe everything that people tell us and it will be fine, ‘I’m OK. I can handle it.’ You should put your health first. One thousand percent- health is the most important thing.”
For more information, please visit GoRedforWomen.org or call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721).