The Little Red Dress

By Ronda Gates

In the early part of the twentieth century, people with heart disease were thought to be doomed to complete bed rest — or destined to imminent death. However, a handful of pioneering physicians who believed that early death from heart disease was not inevitable began “behind the scenes” efforts to learn more about what was becoming America’s No. 1 killer. Communicating with one another, these self-assured professionals were committed to research that could lead the way to better treatment, prevention, and ultimately a cure for the disease.

In June 1924, six of these cardiologists met in Chicago to share what they had learned. They enthusiastically formed the American Heart Association (AHA) in their effort to bring more attention to the “mysteries” of heart disease--including developing research that could lead the way to better treatment, prevention, and ultimately a cure.

In 1948, the association was reorganized. It transformed from a professional scientific society to a nationwide voluntary health organization composed of science and lay volunteers supported by professional staff. That’s when I first gained wind of the organization when my physician father, who specialized in diseases of the chest, became active in the organization. My mother, a nurse, jumped into the fray and, in February 1947, became one of a group of medical professionals who kicked off the first public campaign to celebrate National Heart Month. That’s when a mysterious box arrived at our home. I was allowed to help open it. The contents, more than 1000 plastic hearts attached to a stick pin, grabbed my attention and hearts have become a heavy influence in my life since then. (In 1978 the logo for my newly forged heart promotion business logo became 4 intertwined hearts.) The pins, which could be attached to a collar, a jacket, a coat— any piece of clothing, were to be used to identify people who supported heart health with a donation to the

American Heart Association. Great excitement filled our home as more and more AHA-funded scientists produced 14 Nobel Prize winners, including nine whose work had been funded by the AHA.

I played with those heart stick pins for hours. Moreover, because February is my birthday month, I couldn’t wait each year as the growing campaign was launched. Since then, the AHA has grown rapidly in size and influence — nationally and internationally — into an organization of more than 35 million volunteers and supporters dedicated to improving heart health and reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Part of that growth included, in 2002, the launch of the Heart Truth® program when the pins became obsolete. In 2003, The Heart Truth introduced the Red

Dress® as the national symbol for women and heart disease to bring greater visibility to risk factors and educate and motivate women to take action to protect their hearts. The primary message driving The Heart Truth campaign is simple: Heart disease is not just a problem for men. The campaign pairs this message with an arresting visual image--the Red Dress--as the national symbol for women and heart disease.

Once again fate intervened, and I became active in the launch of that “Red Dress” campaign. “The Red Dress” has since become the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. That’s why, in February, if I cross your path while participating in an activity that supports a healthy heart, I’ll happily give you one of the pins if you promise to wear it to show your support of healthy heart living. Meantime, “Go Red for Women.”