We "heart" President's Day

Many of us are looking forward to a long weekend as the nation honors George Washington and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays with the President's Day holiday on Monday.  Our current president recently made a proclamation that may just inspire you to do something for the heart this holiday.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, killing an estimated 630,000 Americans each year. Of course, it's important that we all take steps to lead healthier lives and reduce our risk of heart disease, things like exercising, eating healthy and not smoking.  But what if after taking these steps, a loved one or co-worker suffered a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest? Would you know what to do to maybe save their life?  This blog recently featured a story about an entire school taking CPR/AED training after a student lost her life following a heart attack, and our upcoming Annual Report will include the story of a life saved because others had taken the time to learn these vital skills. 

President Obama may have declared February to be American Heart Month, but we here at the Red Cross offer this life-saving training year-round.  A full schedule of classes is available online, or you can bring one of our instructors to your school, business or other organization--contact Jill Gregory at jill.gregory@redcross.org for more information.  I think our Founding Fathers would approve.