[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
[February 1, 2008]
[Pages 141-142]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Signing the American Heart Month Proclamation in Kansas City, 
Missouri
February 1, 2008

    The President. Joyce, thank you for joining 
me.
    Joyce Cullen. Thank you.
    The President. Joyce is here to join me as 
I sign a proclamation declaring February American Heart Month.
    Part of the reason she is here is because 
she understands what Laura understands and what a 
lot of Americans are coming to understand, is that heart disease is the 
number-one killer of both women and men----
    Ms. Cullen. Yes.
    The President. ----and that through awareness of this disease, 
people are more likely to be able to recognize symptoms and deal with 
it.
    And so there's what we call the Heart Truth Campaign, the Red Dress 
Campaign. And Laura is very much involved with 
that. She's in New York today at a fashion show heralding the Heart 
Truth Campaign. Joyce is with me because when 
Laura was here last in Kansas City, she went to St. Luke's Hospital and 
talked about the importance for people to recognize the symptoms of 
heart disease. Joyce had such symptoms, went to the hospital, and 
prevented a serious heart disease and heart attack and sits here with 
the President.

[[Page 142]]

    Ms. Cullen. How about that.
    The President. But more importantly, she's 
very much a part of the Heart Truth Campaign here in Kansas City.
    Ms. Cullen. Yes.
    The President. And she's helping people 
understand two things: one, to be able to recognize the symptoms, and 
secondly, be able to prevent the symptoms from happening in the first 
place.
    Now, people need to have screenings and checkups; people need to 
live healthy lives, through exercise and no tobacco. In other words, the 
decisions we make will affect whether or not our hearts remain strong.
    And so I want to thank you for being a strong leader----
    Ms. Cullen. Thank you.
    The President.----in the campaign for awareness. And so it's my 
honor, Joyce, to join you in--as you watch me 
sign this proclamation declaring February American Heart Month.

[At this point, the President signed the proclamation.]

    Thank you. You bet. Thank you for being here. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 8:28 a.m. at the InterContinental Kansas 
City Hotel. The American Heart Month proclamation is listed in Appendix 
D at the end of this volume.