[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 4 (Monday, February 4, 2008)]
[Pages 141-142]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.
    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 in the campaign 
for awareness. And so it's my honor, Joyce, to join you in--

[[Page 142]]

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.