Joan Lunden to speak at heart disease awareness event

SALT LAKE CITY — Joan Lunden will be the keynote speaker for the fifth annual "Go Red For Women" luncheon on Friday, April 30, at the Salt Lake Downtown Marriott, 75 S. West Temple.

Lunden, former host of ABC's Good Morning America, author and journalist, will provide the capstone to an afternoon of events focused on helping women improve their health and lower their risk of heart disease.

The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement aims at giving women knowledge and tools to take positive action to reduce their risks of heart disease and stroke and protect their health.

The Go Red For Women luncheon will provide exhibits, free health screenings and medical professionals to answer questions and offer tips on prevention. Heart disease and stroke survivors will share stories about their personal experiences.

More than 300 women are expected to attend the luncheon. Proceeds from the event will benefit women-focused heart disease research, as well as educational materials and awareness programs.

"On average, every 60 seconds heart-related illness, much of it preventable, claims the life of an American woman," said Amy Rees Anderson, chairwoman of the Go Red For Women luncheon and president and CEO of MediConnect Global. "This is a statistic that needs to be changed, and we are honored to support the American Heart Association and this event that is so effective in encouraging women to take control of their health and protecting them from the nation's deadliest disease."

For more information and tickets to the event, visit www.heart.org/UtahGoRedLuncheon.