Queen Latifah Helps Launch WomenHeart's Rise Above Heart Failure Campaign

In honor of World Heart Day, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, is proud to announce the launch of the Rise Above Heart Failure campaign video starring award-winning actress and social activist Queen Latifah and WomenHeart Champion, Eileen Dreczka of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. WomenHeart, in partnership with prominent patient advocacy groups, is promoting the video to raise awareness about heart failure and the importance of caregiver support.

Queen Latifah is the caregiver to her mother, who lives with heart failure, and is proud to serve as the spokeswoman for the Rise Above Heart Failure campaign. Queen Latifah understands on a personal level the stress that caregivers face and the value of loving support to both the patient and the caregiver.

In this special video, she interviews WomenHeart Champion and heart disease survivor, Eileen Dreczka, who discusses how she manages her heart health while living with heart failure. Eileen is an inspiring example of how to thrive with heart disease; she offers a poignant perspective on living with heart failure.

"On World Heart Day, we highlight the rising prevalence of heart disease for women of all ages -- and remind people that it is the leading cause of death in women," says Mary McGowan, Chief Executive Officer of WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. "Research shows that women are not always aware of their risk factors or the best measures to take in order to prevent heart disease.

"Through education and public awareness, we need to empower women to lead heart-healthy lives. That's why the work of advocates like Queen Latifah and WomenHeart Champion Eileen Dreczka is so vital to advancing heart health for women around the world."

WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is an alliance member of the American Heart Association's Rise Above Heart Failure campaign.