Jane Esselstyn Presents “The Tasty Truth: The Powerful Connection between Women, Heart Health and Food”
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – (January 19, 2016) – More than 600 guests are expected to wear red and celebrate the Go Red For Women movement at the Southern New England Go Red For Women® Luncheon on February 12, 2016, at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Alison Bologna from NBC10 will emcee and Jane Esselstyn will present keynote address.
The Go Red For Women Luncheon is a celebration of a yearlong movement to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke in women. The event begins with a Festival of Red where guests will enjoy Macy’s Beauty Bar, cooking demos, health screenings by Provant, Real Women, Real Action Photo Booth with CVS Health, 100 free Virgin Pulse fitness tracker giveaway, sample healthy foods from some of RI’s best local restaurants, chair massages, “Ask a PT” by Performance Physical Therapy, the 3D Living Heart Project by Dassault followed by a heart-healthy lunch and our keynote address by Jane Esselstyn. Alison Bologna, award-winning journalist from NBC10 WJAR will serve as the luncheon’s emcee. Last year, the event raised more than $270,000 for the American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission.
Why Go Red? Heart disease and stroke remain the nation’s leading health threats to women but there is good news. These diseases are 80% preventable with education and lifestyle changes. Guests are invited to wear red, share your story of prevention or survival, and advocate for women’s heart and brain health.
Jane Esselstyn will present “The Tasty Truth: The Powerful Connection between Women, Heart Health and Food” as the Keynote Speaker for the luncheon. Jane Esselstyn, RN, is involved in many cutting-edge health initiatives around heart health and a plant based diet. She is a nurse, author, researcher, and mother of three, who presents across the country about disease prevention through plant-based nutrition. Jane co-authored “The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook” with her mother, Ann Crile Esselstyn. And she created the recipe section for the #1 NY Times Bestseller “My Beef with Meat” with her brother, Rip Esselstyn. Jane presents her plant-based know -how at conferences, retreats and Immersions and offers programs to schools, universities and companies looking to educate about disease prevention and healthy food choices. Jane resides in Cleveland, OH, with her husband, Brian, and their three teenagers.
The 2016 Southern New England Go Red For Women Luncheon is chaired by Shantha Diaz, COO at Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island. Neighborhood’s mission is to secure access to high quality, cost-effective health care for Rhode Island’s at-risk populations.
“This campaign holds special meaning to me,” Shantha Diaz explains. “We are spreading an important message. Heart disease and stroke are 80 percent preventable by making simple, heart-healthy changes. It’s not always easy to take the first step but it’s important. Little changes can add up. I’m living proof that prevention is the cure.”
Lauriann DeSouza from New Bedford, Massachusetts will share her story as a heart survivor, wife and a mother of two teenage boys. She is a National spokeswoman for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement.
“One of the most important things, I take away from my heart attack and living with heart disease is you have to continue to keep going,” DeSouza said. “Most importantly, I have to keep my heart strong by taking care of myself. The thing is, from the moment I had that heart attack, I never let it defeat me. I defeated it!”
The American Heart Association estimates that approximately 43 million women suffer from heart disease in the United States, with nearly 90 percent of women having one or more risk factors for developing cardiovascular issues. Heart disease causes one in every three women’s deaths each year. The American Heart Association invests in educational and prevention programs, public policies that promote the wellbeing of communities across the country and cutting-edge scientific research. In Rhode Island and Massachusetts alone, the American Heart Association currently funds more than 29.9 million dollars in scientific research related to cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
The 2016 Southern New England Go Red For Women Luncheon is nationally sponsored by Macy’s. Top local sponsors include Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, CVS Health, KPMG LLP, Amica Insurance Co., Virgin Pulse and LGC&D LLP. This year’s media sponsors include Cat Country 98.1, NBC10 WJAR, Providence Business News, and The Providence Journal. Friends of Heart include Ninedot and Advancing Women’s Excellence.
The Southern New England Go Red For Women Luncheon is goaled to raise over $300,000 to support cutting-edge research, education and community programs aimed at preventing heart disease and stroke in women research.
For more information, sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, contact the American Heart Association at [email protected] or 401-228-2332 or visit snegoredluncheon.heart.org.
About the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association
The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved locally, call, visit heart.org/sne or call 401-228-2324. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @sneheart #SNEGoRed.
###