By DANNA SUE WALKER World Staff Writer
Published: 6/7/2010  2:23 AM
Last Modified: 6/7/2010  7:16 AM

It turns out laughter is really good for us and helps in the fight against heart disease. Billie's delicious sense of humor certainly delivered that when she was the keynote speaker for the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women luncheon held at the Renaissance Hotel.

Letts is the author of "Where the Heart Is," which reached the No. 1 slot on the New York Times paperback best-seller list and was selected for Oprah Winfrey's book club. She also is an advocate for women and women's health.

"It's all about knowing your personal risks, making the right personal choices and loving your heart," said Karen Larsen, Go Red for Women emcee and KJRH anchor.

Since 2004, the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement has captured the energy, passion and intelligence of women to work collectively to wipe out heart disease, which affects 41 million American women and kills more than 450,000 annually.

Sixty-four percent of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms.

Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death among American women and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability.

This year's Go Red co-chairwomen, Alison Anthony, from the Williams Foundation, and Karen Wicker, from Schnake Turnbo Frank PR, noted, "Going Red is more than choosing a great color for our dress or shoes. It's about choosing to be phenomenally smart. It's about making choices that impact
our lives and the lives of those we love."

Tulsa Go Red for Women partners are Williams, Hardesty Family Foundation Inc., Senior Star Living, Samson and TD Williamson.

Heart of Bronze partners are Oklahoma Heart Institute, Osteopathic Founders Foundation, Dr. Melanie Blackstock and Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino.

Red Hot Heart partners are Arvest Bank, Bank of Oklahoma, Barnett Family Foundation, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Hall Estill Attorneys at Law, Stinnett & Associates, Magellan Midstream Partners LLC, ONEOK Inc., QuikTrip Corporation and H.A. & Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust.

Go Red for Women media partners are KRJH Channel 2 Works for You, KBEZ and the Tulsa World.

Others participating in the program included Dr. Raj Chandwaney, interventional cardiologist, Oklahoma Heart Institute; Andrea Chancellor, Andre'a Murrell and Margo Gray Proctor; heart disease survivor Kayci Battenfield; Macy's store manager Steve Rice; and Merck executive Steve Fell.

For more information about women and heart disease or the Go Red for Women movement, go online to tulsaworld.com/gored

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