It was a sea of red at the Go Red For Women luncheon held Thursday.

More than 500 women and men wearing red attended the annual event meant to highlight the role cardiovascular disease has in women’s lives.

Launched more than two decades ago to increase women’s heart health awareness, Go Red for Women is the American Heart Association’s global movement designed to serve as a catalyst for change to improve the health of women.

Lisa Hawker, 2024-2025 volunteer chairman of Go Red for Women Toledo, said the Go Red campaign is meant to raise awareness.

“As a busy professional, wife, mother, daughter, and friend, I recognize that women often put others first,” Ms. Hawker said. “Unlike many diseases, so many of the issues with heart health can be avoided or reduced if we just take care of ourselves and know the signs to look for when problems are arising.”

Whitney Keeler, development director at the American Heart Association, said $255,000 had been raised prior to this year’s event.

“We had 225 guests at last year’s event,” Ms. Keeler said. “There were 545 guests this year. I think Lisa Hawker and her team really have worked to get the word out about this event.”

“Our goal this year was to double the amount of people here today, so we upped our game and achieved it,” Ms. Hawker said. “We decided to make it fun. I knew if we made it fun, we would raise money.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming more lives than all cancers combined, according to the heart association. Unique life stages like pregnancy and menopause can affect that risk.

April Smucker, associate vice president of planning, construction, and campus operations at Bowling Green State University, served on the executive leadership team for the campaign.

“As a cancer survivor I know events like this are very important for women,” Ms. Smucker said. “Women get to meet other women, and they are able to support each other. Getting the word out about heart health to women is important. ”

This event included multiple live auctions and a fashion show that celebrated survivors.

Traci Ponder, behavioral health technician with Sylvania schools, took part in the fashion show. Ms. Ponder suffered from an ischemic stroke three years ago. She said she was at home and was unable to sit up. She scribbled a message to her friend using her Apple Watch.

“My friend became worried when my message that made sense to me, was actually nonsensical to her, and she called 911,” Ms. Ponder said. “I was told I had the stroke because of the estrogen in the birth control I was taking. I was in denial until I woke up with a tube down my throat.”

After emergency surgery, two weeks at ProMedica Toledo Hospital, and two more weeks of rehabilitation, Ms. Ponder was able to go home.

“I am still kind of weak on my left side, but I am fine,” Ms. Ponder said. “I tell everybody to live life to the fullest because you never know when something is going to happen. I was 32 when I had a stroke.”

Tracee Perryman, CEO of the Center of Hope Family Services, said she has been coming to the lunches after her father, Donald, was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2017.

“Heart issues can run in families, and I wanted to learn more about it,” Ms. Perryman said. “My father has since started not eating out as much. He cooks a lot at home now and he has more salads. His infraction rate is normal now. The thing is heart issues and symptoms are different for women. It is important we all learn the symptoms and what we can do to help ourselves as well.”

Ms. Hawker, chief growth officer at Hylant, said the Go Red campaign has to continue to get the message out beyond the luncheon event.

“The bigger thing is we have to keep the momentum going,” she said. “Everyone here today is family now. We need to work together to get the message out to women to look out for their health as well.”

Jennifer Strauss, executive director and vice president of Nationwide Children’s Hospital-Toledo, was named the new 2025-2026 volunteer chairman.

For more information visit Heart.org/ToledoGoRed.

First Published February 27, 2025, 10:01 p.m.