The American Heart Association is pushing its national Go Red for Women campaign, and for good reason.

Heart disease and stroke are responsible for one in three deaths of women each year, according to AHA, and men’s symptoms can vary from women’s.

Instead of chest pain during a heart attack, women can actually have jaw pain. As for heart disease, women may just experience shortness of breath or back pain — one’s first thought of these symptoms is not that they could be attributed to heart problems or cardiovascular disease.

To raise awareness, the Heart Association designated Feb. 5 as the 13^th annual National Wear Red Day. Macy’s even stepped in to create a line of red dresses in support of the cause, debuting them Feb. 11.

Why red? The color red is eye-catching and powerful, not to mention it is the color of one’s heart. It stands out, and if everyone wears it, there are bound to be questions.

Vidant Beaufort Hospital put its own spin on things, as well, by hosting a red-centric, heart-focused reception, and staff members showed off their own makeshift dress designs on poster board cutouts.

It’s all in good fun, of course, but the message is a serious one. Wear Red Day is a simple way to get people talking about cardiovascular diseases, but it’s up to those who are listening to go further than just engaging in a conversation.

Share the information learned, so people will know the symptoms and know what to do when experiencing these symptoms. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It takes a community to spread knowledge.

Wearing red is a great first step, but for it to mean something, more steps have to be taken. It has to go beyond just talking.

As the staff at Vidant Beaufort would attest, taking these steps could be a matter of life and death.