Theresa, 39, was tired and short of breath.  Her back hurt and she had chest pain.  The wife and mother of two visited her doctor but didn't get any answers.  "I had a feeling that it was my heart, but all the tests were saying it wasn't."  Two months later, Theresa had a massive heart attack at a family birthday party.  She was 38.  "I felt like an elephant was standing on my chest.  It was difficult for me to talk," she said.  "If I could have crawled out of my body, I would have."

Go Red For Women is for women like Theresa, a woman who never thought she would be the victim to the number one killer of women in the country - heart disease.  Now she fights to increase awareness about the risks a woman needs to know, but also to raise funds for vital research.  "With over 1 million Americans dying every year, everyone has a loved one that has an experience with heart disease.  It's something that you never want to go through.  The funds we raise for the American Heart Association help millions of Americans not only change their lifestyle and know their risk, but fund research that will help save a life of someone you know.  And that's why I Go Red For Women" - Theresa.

Go Red for Women is the American Heart Association’s national campaign to increase awareness of heart disease — the leading cause of death for women — and to inspire women to take charge of their heart health.  The grassroots campaign has since grown into a vibrant national movement as more women, men, celebrities, healthcare professionals and politicians embrace and elevate the cause of women and heart disease.  The year-long campaign kicked off at the annual Go Red for Women Luncheon provides women of all generations with tips and information on healthy eating, exercise and risk factor reduction, such as smoking cessation, weight maintenance, blood pressure control and blood cholesterol management.