Wear Red for Women combines awareness, action and fun

In 2019, the Bothwell Foundation created its Wear Red for Women committee with a two-fold purpose – host an annual signature event to raise awareness about women’s heart health and raise money to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which are small, lightweight devices that allow individuals and first responders to treat sudden cardiac arrest.

Since the first event in 2020, this smart and snappy group of women has raised more than $250,000 and placed nearly 100 AEDs where people work, learn, pray or play in Sedalia and Pettis County through a luncheon and auction held each February during American Heart Month.

The luncheon is a fun and fast-paced event with a heart-healthy meal, an informational speaker and a silent auction. Last year, more than 470 people attended, making it one of the top must-attend events in Sedalia.

The 2025 event is happening Feb. 28 at Foundry 324 in downtown Sedalia, and we have a fun new spin on the auction in the form of “purse-onality” items. These cleverly themed purses, bags and totes will be one-of-a-kind and showcase the individual personalities of the people or businesses who are donating them. It will be a fun new addition to the lunch and a great way to show off unique ideas and causes … all for a worthy cause.

We also will have a demonstration on how to use an AED. The design of AEDs is intended to be simple to operate, with clear instructions and voice prompts to guide users through the process, yet the committee believes there’s no better way to learn than by seeing the process in person before someone needs to put one to use.

Cardiac arrest is a national public crisis with nearly 1,000 people suffering an out-of-hospital event each day with many of them occurring in public places. When cardiac arrest happens, the person loses consciousness, has no pulse and isn’t breathing. It can strike any one of any age at any time and is often fatal if appropriate steps aren’t immediately taken including the use of CPR and an AED. Knowing CPR and bystander access to an AED are critical, especially in more rural areas like ours where it can take longer for first responders to arrive.

The most common causes of cardiac arrest are an irregular heartbeat and heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for women in the United States with about one in five women dying from it each year. Despite being a leading cause of death, only about one-half of women recognize that heart disease is their No. 1 killer.

It’s no secret that women are often the chief health care decision makers for their families, yet not always for themselves. The Wear Red for Women committee has made it its mission to inform women about heart disease risk factors that include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking, diabetes and a lack of physical activity and help them recognize the symptoms of a heart attack or heart failure … before it’s too late.

For all of us, the message is to learn CPR and how to use an AED. Every second counts in emergencies that can happen in our homes or in public settings. Having these skills can significantly increase a person’s chance of survival by providing immediate life-saving interventions before professional medical help arrives.

Bothwell Regional Health Center offers CPR, AED and First Aid classes, and the next one is March 15. To learn more, call the Education Center at 660.827.9516 or email classes@bhrc.org. Just a few hours on a Saturday morning can be the difference between saving a life and a tragedy.

Tickets and sponsorships for the 2025 Wear Red for Women luncheon are still available. To learn more about supporting this worthwhile cause that keeps proceeds local, please contact me at 660.829.7786 or lthiel@brhc.org. At Bothwell, we wear red in February, and we hope you will too.

Lauren Thiel-Payne has been the executive director of the Bothwell Foundation for eight years. She thrives on building partnerships and relationships that support Bothwell Regional Health Center’s mission to safely and compassionately care for families, friends and neighbors. Her expertise is in fundraising, event management, marketing, working with volunteers and community outreach. Lauren and her husband, Nick, live in Sedalia and have three young sons.