Cardiovascular disease claims more than 440,000 women's lives each year in the United States, making it the leading killer of women according to the American Heart Association. For the first time, 19 National Collegiate Athletic Association women's college basketball coaches are joining forces through the Hearts on the Court Collective to combat this pervasive health threat.
The initiative, led by Louisiana State University hall of fame head coach Kim Mulkey, aims to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease while empowering fans, peers, and student athletes to take control of their heart health. The collective represents a significant expansion of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement, which has worked for more than 20 years to address the unique challenges women face in cardiovascular care.
Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, highlighted the critical gaps in women's cardiovascular healthcare. "Women are often misdiagnosed and undertreated when it comes to cardiovascular disease," Brown said. "From low representation of women in clinical research to women being less likely to receive lifesaving bystander CPR, major gaps exist."
Throughout the women's college basketball season, the collective will launch public service announcements highlighting ways women can improve heart health through Life's Essential 8™ for Women. These include monitoring key health numbers like blood pressure and cholesterol, adopting healthy eating habits, increasing physical activity, avoiding tobacco use, and ensuring quality sleep. The initiative will also emphasize how unique life stages such as pregnancy and menopause affect cardiovascular disease risk.
Coach Mulkey explained the personal motivation behind the collective's formation. "We all have women in our lives we can't bear to live without - our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, our friends," Mulkey said. "Women need allies in the fight against a disease that takes so much from them. By coming together to highlight the ways that heart disease can be prevented, we are working to champion women's health and empower the next generation of female athletes."
The inaugural members include prominent coaches from major NCAA programs across the country, including Katie Abrahamson-Henderson from University of Georgia, Courtney Banghart from UNC, Jennie Baranczyk from University of Oklahoma, and several other head coaches representing institutions from Michigan to California. Their collective influence reaches millions of fans and student athletes nationwide.
Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of all people in the U.S., claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. Approximately 80% of heart attacks and strokes are preventable, yet nearly 45% of women over age 20 live with some form of cardiovascular disease. Perhaps most concerning, only about half of women recognize that heart disease represents their greatest health threat.
The Go Red for Women movement provides resources to support women's heart health at GoRedforWomen.org. The movement addresses awareness and clinical care gaps while meeting the needs of women through all life stages as a trusted source for science-backed health solutions. This new collaboration with NCAA coaches represents a significant step toward reaching more women with potentially life-saving information about cardiovascular health prevention and management.
