JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – February is Heart Disease Awareness Month. The disease affects millions of Americans and is the number one killer in the country.

“Going Red for Women’s Heart Health” is the theme for the Congregational Health Nurses annual women’s health event at New Horizon Church, providing space to learn and take advantage of resources that combat heart disease.

“Very, very important that we bring awareness to it. In addition to just bringing awareness, we need to give people skills. How to prevent it and to encourage and empower them to use that knowledge to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of their family and in the community,” said Ella Garner Jackson, the event coordinator.

People learned useful information and how to implement it in everyday life.

“That’s very important because for Black people, we are at the top of the pile when it comes to this. In order for us to champion those disparities, we have to do things like this so that we learn how to stop heart disease,” said Vanessa Edmond.

It’s important to remember to put your own health ahead of the hustle and bustle of day-to-day responsibilities.

“It’s very important that we know our numbers. This event is an awareness event, as well. That’s one thing we need to do to take care of ourselves, especially women, because we take care of everybody else and sometimes neglect ourselves and put ourselves at the bottom of the list,” said Emberly Homes.

According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.