Team is encouraging all fans to wear red

June 5, 2008

WHAT:	Go Red For Women Night
WHEN:	Wednesday, June 11th at 7:00 pm
WHERE:	Verizon Center 601 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20004

Washington, DC – The Washington Mystics will host the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women on Wednesday, June 11th at 7:00 p.m. when the Mystics take on the Sacramento Monarchs at Verizon Center. It will be the second year in a row that the movement and the Washington Mystics will have teamed up to raise awareness of heart disease. WNBA teams around the league will also host in-arena nights in an effort to continue to raise awareness of heart disease. Heart disease is the No.1 killer of women – and of men but it is largely preventable by lowering risks, such as maintaining a low blood pressure and healthy weight, and by making everyday lifestyle changes. Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power necessary to wipe out heart disease. The Mystics along with the American Heart Association are encouraging all fans in attendance to wear red in support of such an important cause.

The American Heart Association will have blood pressure screenings, pamphlets and information on the concourse beginning at 6:00 p.m. and Mystics players will encourage fans to take the Go Red Heart CheckUp at GoRedForWomen.org. On this site, fans can calculate their personal, 10-year risk for heart disease and find information about controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and weight. In addition, heart disease survivors will be recognized at the game during and many fun activities will be planned to drive home the importance of empowering women to take control over their level of risk for heart disease.

“It is important for us to continue to raise the awareness of heart disease, said Mystics player Nakia Sanford. “As the leading cause of death among women, we want to encourage them to be more attentive to their health.”

About Go Red For Women
Since 2004, Go Red for Women has captured the energy, passion and intelligence of women to work collectively to wipe out heart disease - the No. 1 killer of women. We want millions of women across America to take heart disease personally. Using the platform "Love Your Heart," Go Red For Women engages women and the men who love them to embrace the cause. Healthcare providers, celebrities and politicians also elevate the cause and spread the word about women and heart disease. For more information about Go Red For Women, please call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278) or visit GoRedForWomen.org. The movement is nationally sponsored by Macy's and Merck & Co., Inc and locally supported by e-GLAM.