February is American Heart Month, celebrating and bringing awareness about heart conditions in America.
This month is also National Wear Red Day, which in 2025 occurs on February 7. The Shoreline Community College Accessibility Advisory Committee encourages you to wear red on February 7, to show recognition and support for heart health. Post information about #OurHearts to your social media platforms, and recognize statistics, such as the significant one that heart disease is “the leading cause of death for Americans,” according to the American Heart Association.
What is Heart Disease?
Heart Disease may include a variety of heart-related irregularities, such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, congenital heart defects, and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). People may have strokes due to problems with their heart and any number of other symptoms; this is not a one-size-fits-all disease. Symptoms of heart disease can range from chest pain to jaw pain, to coldness in the extremities or more.
Heart Conditions in the Workplace and Classroom
While heart disease is often physically non-apparent, it can significantly impair daily life. For many individuals living with these conditions, the challenges extend beyond the physical. Research shows that 88% of employees with invisible disabilities choose not to disclose it at work to avoid stigma and discrimination. Unfortunately, this often results in social isolation, reduced productivity, and fewer opportunities for career advancement.
By offering accommodations to employees and students we can help ensure that people living with heart disease are not held back from achieving their potential, both personally and professionally. For more information about requesting employment accommodations at Shoreline, contact Human Resources at scchr@shoreline.edu. Students who may need accommodations in the classroom may reach out to Student Accessibility Services (SAS) at sas@shoreline.edu.
Risk Factors
Heart disease can have many causes and can affect anyone at any stage of life. If you are interested in learning more about risk factors and what you can do to maintain heart health, talk to a medical provider. If you need assistance finding a medical provider talk to your insurance provider. If you need assistance becoming insured talk to your employer or find a medical provider.
Awareness
Let’s take action this February by wearing red, learning more about heart disease, and supporting those in our community who live with it every day. Every body is different. If you are concerned about potential heart disease, seek out medical advice as soon as possible.
Accessibility Advisory Committee YouTube Playlist – The AAC YouTube playlist has a variety of videos, with PowerPoints, presentations performed by members, and recordings of past workshops at Shoreline. Let us know about specific topics that you think would be interesting for us to develop into videos!
How are we doing?
Please submit feedback about the information that the Accessibility Advisory Committee shares to Miranda Levy via email at mlevy@shoreline.edu so that the committee can review together and serve the campus community better.
