Rep. Bauer offered the following resolution

House Resolution No. 181. 

            A resolution to declare February 3, 2012, as Wear Red Day in the state of Michigan.    Whereas, Currently some 8 million women in the U.S. are living with heart disease, yet only one in five American women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat; and

            Whereas, 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease; and

Whereas, 26 percent of women die within a year of suffering a heart attack compared with 19 percent of men; and

            Whereas, While one in 30 American women dies from breast cancer each year, one in three dies of cardiovascular disease; and

            Whereas,  Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of over 419,000 American females each year, almost one death per minute; and

            Whereas, Only 43 percent of African American women and 44 percent of Hispanic women know that heart disease is their greatest health risk compared with 60 percent of white women; and

            Whereas,  Nearly as many women die of heart disease, stroke, and all other cardiovascular diseases than the next  three leading causes of death combined, including all cancers; and

            Whereas,  Only 16 percent of women surveyed in 2009 identified cardiovascular disease as the greatest health problem facing them; and

            Whereas, In women, heart disease is too often a silent killer as less than a third of women in a recent survey reported any early warning signs such as chest pain or discomfort before a heart attack; and

            Whereas, Common symptoms for women included pain of the jaw, arm or back, but most reported a delay in seeking treatments after the symptoms began of anywhere from 15 minutes to two weeks; and

            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; and

            Whereas, Go Red For Women® is the American Heart Association’s national call to increase awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death for women, and to inspire women to take charge of their heart health; and

            Whereas, All women should learn their own personal risk for heart disease, using tools such as the American Heart Association’s My Life Check, Go Red For Women® Heart CheckUp, Go Red For Women® Better U, and by talking to their healthcare provider; and

            Whereas,  Making the right choices relating to proper nutrition, physical activity, and other healthy lifestyle choices are essential to living a heart healthy life; and

            Whereas,  The truth is our lives are in our hands. We can stop our number one killer together by sharing the truth. We can be the difference between life and death; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare February 3, 2012 as Wear Red Day in the state of Michigan. We urge all citizens to show their support for women and the fight against heart disease by commemorating this day by the wearing of the color red. By increasing awareness, speaking up about heart disease, and empowering women to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease, we can save thousands of lives each year.