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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
20-168
THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
February 4, 2014
To declare the month of February 2014 as “American Heart Month” in the District of Columbia, recognize and support the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement, and urge citizens to show their support for women and the fight against heart disease and stroke by commemorating February through the wearing and presentation of the color red.
WHEREAS, cardiovascular diseases are the nation’s leading cause of death and costliest disease with direct and indirect costs estimated to be $312.6 billion;
WHEREAS, cardiovascular diseases cause one – in – three women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute;
WHEREAS, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, yet only one in five American women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat;
WHEREAS, while progress has been significant in reducing deaths from heart disease, it is still the No. 1 killer of both women and men; stroke is the No. 3 cause of death for females in the District, accounting for 138 female deaths in 2012; and heart disease and stroke account for 33.1% of all female deaths in the District;
WHEREAS, on average, nearly 2 women die from heart disease and stroke in the District each day;
WHEREAS, since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and the gap between men and women’s survival continues to widen;
WHEREAS, ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease;
WHEREAS, women comprise only 24 percent of participants in all heart-related studies;
WHEREAS, women are less likely to call 911 for themselves when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack than they are if someone else were having a heart attack;
WHEREAS, the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement has focused on cardiovascular disease’s effect on woman for the past 10 years;
WHEREAS, the Go Red for Woman Campaign has saved more than 627,000 women’s lives with 330 fewer women dying every day;
WHEREAS, between 1999 and 2009, the rate of deaths from cardiovascular diseases fell 32.7 percent, but still accounted for nearly one in three deaths in the nation;
WHEREAS, by increasing awareness, speaking up about heart disease, empowering women to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease, and recognizing the critical importance of tools and skills that will increase survival rates from cardiac arrest (and incorporating these tools into aggressive programs), thousands of lives can be saved each year;
WHEREAS, efforts of the American Heart Association encourage citizens to help save lives by calling 9-1-1 if symptoms occur, become trained in CPR, and encourage comprehensive automated external defibrillator programs in their communities; and
WHEREAS, the American Heart Association is celebrating February 2014 as American Heart Month and promoting education and awareness by encouraging citizens to learn the warning signs of heart attack and stroke.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “American Heart Month Recognition Resolution of 2014”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and supports the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement, urges citizens to show their support for women and the fight against heart disease and stroke for women and men by commemorating February through the wearing and presentation of the color red, and declares the month of February 2014 as “American Heart Month” in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
