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February 2, 2011
By Tim Harms
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011) – Every player headed to the Super Bowl is on a mission. The same can be said for Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark. Although he won’t be playing in this year’s game, the two-time Super Bowl starter will be in Dallas Feb. 4 on a mission to educate women that heart disease is their No. 1 killer.
Clark will serve as national spokesman for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement. The mission became personal to Clark when his mother Jan passed away from a heart attack just three days prior to his high school graduation.
“Back in 1998, my mom passed away from a heart attack,” said Clark, who helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI in 2007. “Ever since, I’ve made it my mission to increase public awareness about heart disease. I’m happy to help the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women get the word out to ensure people understand the risks, know the signs of heart attack and realize how dangerous heart disease is to women.”
Feb. 4 is National Wear Red Day, a national observance on the first Friday of every February – American Heart Month. During the month, the association is calling attention to the fact that one of every three women die from heart disease, claiming more women’s lives annually than the next five causes combined, including all forms of cancer. Fortunately, 80 percent of cardiac events in women may be preventable.
“When we lost my mom, we lost the heart of my family,” Clark said. “That’s why it’s so important for people to understand the severity of this disease. Talk to your doctor about the risks and get the appropriate testing. This is something that can be prevented – women need to know that and they need to share this information with five women in their lives.”
