WomenHeart Leaders Honored with Woman’s Day National Red Dress Awards
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 10, 2010
Contact: Lisa Clough 202.464.8734
Heart disease survivor Kathy Kastan is first patient advocate honored
Washington, DC – Three leaders from WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease who have played significant roles in raising awareness of heart disease as the leading cause of death in women, will be honored with the Woman's Day Red Dress Award, Wednesday, February 10, at a ceremony in New York City. Now in its seventh year, the Woman's Day Red Dress Awards honors those who have made a difference in the fight against heart disease in women.
Kathy Kastan, LCSW, MEd, of Memphis, TN is a heart disease survivor, past president of WomenHeart, and nationally recognized author and spokesperson on the issue. She is the first patient advocate to be honored with the award. The author of From the Heart: A Woman's Guide to Living Well with Heart Disease, Ms. Kastan's heart disease was initially misdiagnosed, which resulted in emergency bypass surgery at age 42, and she has since become a nationally recognized patient advocate on women's heart health.
Karol Watson, MD, PhD, FACC of Los Angeles, CA, is the Co-Director of the UCLA Program in Preventative Cardiology and Director of its Center for Cholesterol and Hypertension Management. A practicing cardiologist and Chair of WomenHeart's Scientific Advisory Council, Dr. Watson chose to focus her career on the prevention of heart disease after her father suffered a heart attack while she was still a medical school student.
Jane Chesnutt, of New York City, NY, former editor-in-chief of Woman's Day, is receiving the Legendary Heart Award. Ms. Chestnutt led Woman's Day to adopt heart health as its mission in 1999. She was recently named to the Board of Directors of WomenHeart.
"In the decades that these women have contributed to the better understanding and impact heart disease has in women, much progress has been made," said Lisa M. Tate, Chief Executive Officer of WomenHeart. "But there is still much to be done, as women are still not routinely treated according to guidelines, are under-represented in clinical trials, and are often misdiagnosed and inaccurately treated for their symptoms of heart disease. We are thrilled to see these three women honored for their important contributions to the education of both women and physicians about early and accurate diagnosis, and proper treatment for women with heart disease."
"I'm incredibly honored to receive the Red Dress Award," says Ms. Kastan. "It is humbling to be recognized for doing something which is simply necessary to helping other women stay healthy and alive."
Proceeds from the event benefit the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. Special guests include Tim Gunn, co-host of Lifetime Television's "Project Runway" and Grammy Award-winner Mary J. Blige.
Interviews can be arranged by contacting Lisa Clough at 202.464.8734 or lclough@womenheart.org. Additional information on the Woman's Day Red Dress Awards can be found at http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Health/Conditions-Diseases/Red-Dress-Awards-2010
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