On February 2, Mrs. Laura Bush hosted a women's heart health event at the White House to announce American Heart Month and to preview a number of upcoming activities designed to raise awareness of women's heart disease. Mrs. Bush highlighted elements of a Presidential Proclamation, signed by President Bush during the event, declaring February as American Heart Month and Friday, February 6, 2004, as the first annual National Wear Red Day in support of women's heart disease awareness.

The event also launched The Heart Truth Road Show, which will take off in March and travel to Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, and San Diego. Women will have the opportunity to attend a heart health exhibit and participate in a risk-factor screening program. The Road Show will provide screening for 1,000 women at every stop.

Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services , through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign that warns women of the risk of heart disease and the need to take action against its causes. The focus of the campaign is women at mid-life, the time when their risk of heart disease starts to increase. But the message is also for women of all ages. Heart disease develops over time and can start in the teen years; and older women, even those who already have heart disease, can take action to lower their risk .

The primary message driving The Heart Truth campaign is: Heart disease doesn't care what you wear -- it's the #1 killer of women. The campaign pairs the message with an arresting visual image -- the Red Dress -- to reinforce the fact that heart disease isn't only a problem for men. Introduced in February 2003 in New York City during Fashion Week, the Red Dress symbol has ignited a desire among women, community groups and organizations to spread this lifesaving message to women across America.

The Basic Facts:

• The Heart Truth is: Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women. Yet most women don't know it.
• One in three American women dies of heart disease.
• Most women do not take heart disease seriously -- or personally.
• To have a healthy heart, it is critical to know the risk factors for heart disease. They are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, being overweight, being physically inactive, having a family history of early heart disease, and age (55 or older for women).

For more information, visit The Heart Truth at www.hearttruth.gov