Heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women, accounting for one in every three women’s deaths, according to the American Heart Association. Every minute, another American woman loses her life to heart disease.
The reason so many women lose their lives to heart disease isn’t just a matter of prevalence — it’s a matter of myth: almost half of American women believe heart disease is a “man’s disease.” Heart attacks in women often don’t present with the same symptoms as men, so when a potentially deadly heart attack happens, women are less likely to seek care quickly.
On Thursday, Feb. 24, at 6:30 p.m., Tanner’s “Red for a Reason” — a virtual “Girls Night Out” that’s good for your heart health — will help women throughout west Georgia and east Alabama learn more about heart disease and see how to lower their stress as they laugh along with one of America’s funniest women.
The speakers for this online event include interventional cardiologist Shazib Khawaja, MD, and motivational humorist and author Kay Frances, MBA.
Frances has shared her message to “lighten up, stress less and take care of ourselves” for more than 30 years. She has an MBA and a bachelor’s in health and education. When it comes to humor, Francis is the "real deal," having performed as a professional standup comedian for years and appearing on national TV and radio programs like Lifetime’s “Girls Night Out” and NBC’s “America’s Funniest People.” She also lived and performed in New York City, performing at the nation’s top comedy clubs. She is the author of “The Funny Thing About Stress; A Seriously Humorous Guide to a Happier Life.”
Dr. Khawaja is an interventional cardiologist with Tanner Heart & Vascular Specialists and medical operations leader for Tanner Heart Care. Board-certified in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology, he earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama and completed a residency in internal medicine at Albany Medical College in Albany, New York, a fellowship in cardiovascular medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical School and a fellowship in interventional cardiology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Khawaja also received advanced training in peripheral vascular interventions at the Arizona Heart Institute.
“Women often feel like they’re always taking care of others,” said Dr. Khawaja. “Spouses, children, friends, other loved ones — and they put their own health on the back-burner to help everyone else. But up to 80% of all heart attacks and strokes could be prevented by making relatively simple lifestyle changes, and the odds of surviving a heart attack or stroke climb dramatically when women know what symptoms to look for and when they should seek medical care. I hope every woman who attends will learn something that might save her life. The risk for heart disease among women is real, but with a little initiative and insight, we can get in front of it and save lives.”
Learn more and register to attend at tanner.org/RedForAReason. Each registrant will receive a Zoom link for the event in their registration confirmation email.
More information on Tanner’s heart care services is available at TannerHeartCare.org.