Heart disease accounts for 1 in 3 deaths in the US. With statistics like this there is a good chance everyone is impacted in one way or another.  St. Francis Hospital and the Greater Columbus American Heart Association have partnered together to bring the “Red Sofa Tour” to our community. The purpose of the tour is to raise awareness about the risks of heart disease and stroke in an engaging red sofa display.
 
“The goal is to get our community talking about how we’ve all been affected by heart disease or stroke.  It is easy to hear statistics and dismiss them as just information,” states Katy Hedge, Administrative Director of Marketing and Communication at St. Francis Hospital, “To hear someone’s story and how their world was turned upside down by having a heart attack or stroke, to me is so much more powerful in getting people to change their behaviors.”
 
The community will be able to take part in the campaign by taking a picture or video on the red sofa and posting it to social media with #SFHRedSofaTour to tell people why heart health is important to them. Each week those who participate in the social media campaign will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a prize.
 
The campaign will kick-off Friday March 9 at 8am – 1:30p at Iron Bank Coffee in downtown Columbus.  We invite you to stop by to learn more about the tour and what this means for our community.  The red sofa will then tour throughout the community at various locations until May 25 where the tour will wrap up at the St. Francis Columbus Clinic.  Each site will offer important education, screenings and an opportunity for the community to help raise awareness.
 
Tour Stops Include:
 
·         March 9: Iron Bank, 8:30 am- 1:00 pm

·         March 10-16: CSU School of Nursing

·         March 17-23: CSU Department of Art

·         March 24: Uptown Food Truck Festival

·         March 30-April 6: WRBL Studios

·         April 7-13: Midtown Coffee House

·         April 14-20: Peachtree Mall

·         April 21: Uptown Market Days

·         April 23-25: St. Francis Wellness Center

·         April 27: Greater Columbus American Heart Association Heart Ball

·         April 28-May 4: Mercedes Benz of Columbus

·         May 7-18: St. Francis Butler Pavilion

·         May 19: Uptown Columbus Market Days

·         May 21-25: St. Francis Columbus Clinic