DALLAS, Sept. 13, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emmy-nominated actress Elizabeth Banks directs and stars in the first-ever Go Red For Women short film "Just a Little Heart Attack," inspired by the real-life stories of women who have been affected by heart disease. The entertaining, yet poignant film, which can be viewed on Facebook.com/GoRed, provides a powerful wake-up call to women across America to understand their risk for heart disease and empower them to put their health first.
"Just a Little Heart Attack" shares a glimpse into the seemingly normal routine of a busy mom caring for her family: preparing breakfast for her young children and loving husband (Colin Egglesfield, Something Borrowed); finishing the laundry; helping with homework; and getting an early start on her own busy work day. The morning is quickly turned on its side when Mom (Banks) finds herself stumbling through her kitchen as she ignores the warning signs of a heart attack. Banks uses her comedic talent to charm the audience while, ultimately, delivering an invaluable message about the possible consequences for women who ignore their risk of heart disease.
"As women, we take care of everyone in our lives: our husbands, our kids, our mothers, our fathers, but we never look at ourselves," said Banks. "So this little film is about a super mom who takes care of everyone except herself and learns the lesson that she better look at herself, as well."
The idea for the film's script originated when Hollywood screenwriter Kate Kondell visited GoRedForWomen.org and read story after story of real women who had faced heart disease. "The script wrote itself from there," said Kate. "Women like you and me are dying at the rate of one per minute, and most of us don't even realize we're at risk."
A staggering one in three American women suffers from heart disease, yet only one in five believes she is personally at risk. This disconnect can leave many women unmotivated to act and even to treat heart disease.
"Unfortunately, there is a huge gap between awareness and action among women," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, Go Red For Women spokesperson and Director of Women and Heart Disease, Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Until women fully recognize their risk for heart disease – and take personal responsibility for preventing it – we will continue to lose the battle against the disparities of awareness, care and treatment among women."
Go Red For Women asks you to Make It Your Mission to fight the No.1 killer of women. Visit Facebook.com/GoRed today to watch the short film and share it with 5 women you love.
2011 GO RED WOMEN
This year's Go Red Women served as the driving force and inspiration for "Just a Little Heart Attack." These survivors prove that heart disease touches real women's lives nationwide every day. It's time to take notice – and take action – in the fight against the No.1 killer of women. Here are their stories:
- Jamie, 36 – A heart disease survivor who received two ultimate gifts – a new heart and a surrogate for her twins
- Shermane, 40 – An African-American stroke survivor who confused her symptoms with first date jitters
- Dianne, 53 – A heart attack survivor and fitness instructor who is living proof that heart disease can happen to anyone
- Eva, 39 – A Latina heart disease survivor and nurse who put others first; ignoring her own heart condition resulting in open-heart surgery
- Liz, 43 – A heart disease survivor and mother of four who went from running 15 miles a week to crawling up the stairs of her house in a matter of only three weeks
- Tamara, 33 – A woman whose life was changed forever in her teens when her mother died of a heart attack in her arms
"Just a Little Heart Attack" can be seen on Facebook.com/GoRed. Go Red For Women asks you to Make It Your Mission to learn the facts about heart disease and inspire the women you love to do the same.
Go Red For Women is nationally sponsored by Macy's and Merck & Co., Inc.
About Go Red For Women
Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's solution to save women's lives. With one out of three women still dying from heart disease, we are committed to fighting this No. 1 killer that is preventable. GoRedForWomen.org, a premier source of information and education, connects millions of women of all ages and gives them tangible resources to turn personal choices into life-saving actions. We encourage women and the men who love them to embrace the cause. For more information please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278). The movement is nationally sponsored by Macy's and Merck & Co., Inc.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers. 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 Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org.
©(2011), American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund.
TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.
The American Heart Association logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9940
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Editor's Note:
Following is the URL and embed code for the new Go Red For Women short film "Just a Little Heart Attack," featuring Elizabeth Banks:
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7wmPWTnDbE
Embed: #PLACE CLIP:ID="YOUTUBE_EMBED"#
Accredited Media Inquiries Only:
Leslie Holland, American Heart Association
214-706-1438; Leslie.Holland@heart.org
Shira Gerver, Edelman
212-819-4872; Shira.Gerver@edelman.com
Consumer Inquiries:
The American Heart Association
1-800-AHA-USA1; or visit americanheart.org