‘Wear Red’ event to raise awareness of heart disease in women

February 07, 2025

Release: Immediately
Contact: Amy Shaw, Director, 607.762.2336 or Amy.Shaw@nyuhs.org Date: February 7, 2025

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Scores of people in the Greater Binghamton Region are wearing their best red dresses, sweaters, socks and ties to
observe the nation’s largest annual event focusing on women and heart disease.

They are gathering for “National Wear Red Day” in the main lobby of UHS Salanger Outpatient Center, 4417 Vestal Parkway East, drawing attention to the prevention and treatment of heart disease in women.

Part of the American Heart Association’s nationwide “Go Red for Women” campaign, the special day is a presentation of UHS in conjunction with the regional American Heart Association office.

Featured speakers at this year’s event include:

John M. Carrigg, president and chief executive officer, UHS
Patricia Kintner, local business owner and UHS patient who will share her journey of battling heart disease
Alon Yarkoni, MD, interventional cardiologist, UHS Heart & Vascular Institute
Jami Wood, vice president of development, American Heart Association

“We are proud to be part of this annual observance, especially since UHS is home to the UHS Heart & Vascular Institute—the largest and most comprehensive center for heart excellence in the Greater Binghamton Region,” said Mr. Carrigg. “We are incredibly proud of what we have built here at UHS, significantly advancing cardiology and vascular services over the past several years.”

The UHS Heart & Vascular Institute is dedicated to helping patients achieve heart health for a lifetime. We do this through effective screening, testing and diagnosis; access to expert cardiologists and cardiac surgeons; and the most advanced medical, surgical and technological treatments available. Our offerings include the only cardiac cath lab in the Greater Binghamton area, as well as the region’s only cardiac surgery program. Additionally, UHS provides the only Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement procedure in our area, otherwise known as the TAVR procedure, a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery that is revolutionizing the way we treat patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Wear Red Day speaker Ms. Kintner attributes her recovery to the expertise of UHS Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Alon Yarkoni, whose care helped her return to daily life and feel like herself again.

“Dr. Yarkoni and the entire team at UHS were so supportive,” Ms. Kintner said. “They explained the procedure and the entire process to me in a way that made me feel comfortable and completely at ease. There was no doubt in my mind this was the right decision for me. Being able to breathe normally again felt like nothing short of a medical miracle!”

Dr. Yarkoni encourages women to be vigilant about their own cardiovascular health.

“Women are often times underrepresented in studies related to cardiovascular health,” he said. “But events like Wear Red Day help to raise awareness and close care gaps in women’s heart health.”

An important focus of the American Heart Association and UHS this year is the lifesaving value of knowing and responding to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and UHS is once again presenting CPR training kits to local school districts and nonprofit organizations.

Cardiovascular disease is the # 1 killer of women in the United States, causing one in three deaths each overall. Women are diagnosed at later stages of their heart disease and have more advanced symptoms at the time of diagnosis. The simple truth is most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented with heightened awareness, education and healthy lifestyle changes.

Go Red for Women is a comprehensive public campaign designed to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women in the United States and around the globe. To learn more about the UHS Heart & Vascular Institute, click here.

About United Health Services, Inc. (UHS)

United Health Services, Inc. (UHS) is a locally owned, not-for-profit hospital and healthcare system serving Greater Binghamton and surrounding counties. Founded in 1981, UHS provides a full range of medical, surgical, rehabilitative and long-term care services throughout New York’s Southern Tier. United Health Services, Inc., and the members of the UHS System neither are affiliated with, sponsored, endorsed or approved by, nor otherwise associated with, Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS), UHS of Delaware, Inc., nor their affiliates.

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