COWL Walking Challenge!

State health department, Conference of Women Legislators and American Heart Association team up to fight the number one killer

One in three women dies of cardiovascular disease. To bring awareness to heart disease, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Conference of Women Legislators (COWL) and the American Heart Association (AHA) announced their partnership to Go Red For Women™ on Feb. 8 in Springfield. This year we are not just talking the talk, legislators are walking the walk and signing up for the COWL Walking Challenge! Each legislator who signs up for the challenge will receive a pedometer donated by the American Heart Association. Each day between March 5 and April 29, participating legislators will record the number of steps they take each day, and report the total number of steps to IDPH each week.

“Today we are challenging the women of COWL to help us spread awareness of the fight against heart disease by taking personal action to prevent it,” said Mark E. Peysakhovich, senior director of Governmental Relations with the American Heart Association. “We challenge each participant to track their steps over the next several weeks of the legislative session with the pedometer. Pfizer Inc. will donate $1 for every mile walked, up to $5,000, to go toward the COWL scholarship fund.”

“Having the opportunity to add funds to the COWL scholarship fund while improving our own health is a win-win. We are excited to jump on this challenge with IDPH and the AHA,” said COWL co-chair and Senator Carole Pankau.

In addition, individual legislators in each chamber who have walked the most miles will have the opportunity to co-host a heart-health education event in their district with the American Heart Association. The winner will be announced at COWL’s annual member event on May 9, 2012.

“The members of COWL are excited to, literally, take steps to improve our own heart health while spreading awareness of heart disease - the number one killer of women,” said COWL co-chair and Representative Naomi Jakobsson. “COWL has been a long-time supporter of the Go Red For Women™ movement and we are eager to take this commitment further.”

Being physically active is a key step in decreasing your risk of heart disease. Other steps you can take include controlling your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. Eating a nutritious diet, reducing your stress level and quitting smoking can also help you lower your risk of heart disease.