SAMPLE LETTER TO FIRST SPOUSE

Customize this sample letter to the First Lady or First Gentleman of your state requesting that they support National Wear Red Day by wearing red on February 1, and encouraging their staff, friends, and family to do the same.

(Insert Date)

Dear Mr. or Mrs. (insert name of First Spouse),

On Friday, February 1, 2008, Americans nationwide will take women's health to heart on National Wear Red Day by wearing red to show their support for women's heart disease awareness.  Although significant progress has been made increasing awareness among womenfrom 34 percent in 2000 to 57 percent in 2006—most women fail to make the connection between risk factors and their personal risk of developing heart disease.

Here in (insert city/state), (insert organization name) needs your support to help promote National Wear Red Day.  We are asking you to personally encourage your family, friends, and staff to join our effort by wearing red on February 1.  Anyone can participate by showing off a favorite red dress, shirt, or tie, or Red Dress Pin (available at www.hearttruth.gov).  By participating in National Wear Red Day, you will greatly enhance the efforts to improve awareness of women and heart disease in conjunction with (insert organization name) and The Heart Truth campaign.

The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign aimed at giving women a personal and urgent wake-up call that heart disease is their #1 health threat.  The centerpiece of the campaign is the Red Dress—the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness.  What's a Red Dress got to do with it?  A simple Red Dress works as a visual red alert to get the message heard loud and clear:  "Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear—It's the #1 Killer of Women."  Sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the campaign is reaching women with important heart health messages in community settings through a diverse network of national and grassroots partner organizations.  For more information, visit www.hearttruth.gov.

Locally, we will be (insert brief description of event/activity).

Please join in and help us spread the word about women and heart disease.  By wearing red on National Wear Red Day and encouraging your staff to do so as well, you will help us send a clear message to the women of (insert city/state) that protecting their heart health is important to them, their families, and their communities.

Sincerely,

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