WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health has become a new national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement supporting women’s heart health.

CVS said Wednesday that it has committed to raise at least $10 million over the next three years, including through an in-store donation program, to help fund cardiovascular research and education.

Helena Foulkes

In addition, CVS Pharmacy president Helena Foulkes has been named as the inaugural national chair for Go Red For Women. The annual campaign is designed to boost awareness of heart disease and stroke as the No. 1 killer of women and help women take charge of their heart health, CVS said.

Customers can support Go Red For Women with checkout donations of $1, $3 or more at 7,900 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide or online from Feb. 5 to 25. The in-store fundraising program coincides with American Heart Month in February.

“With more than one in three women living with cardiovascular disease, there is a great need for increased awareness, funding and research about women’s heart health. I am honored to serve as national chair for Go Red For Women to help spread this important message,” Foulkes said in a statement. “Many of our colleagues, customers and communities have been touched by heart disease and stroke, and we are encouraging them to help us inspire action and support the work of the American Heart Association by ‘going red’ and as part of our company’s broader commitment to helping people on their path to better health.”

To help women lower their risk for heart disease, CVS MinuteClinic plans to offer free “Know Your Numbers” heart screenings at its more than 1,100 locations nationwide on Feb. 14. The screenings will assess five key numbers: total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index.

“Many women do not realize that most regular cardiovascular screening tests should begin at age 20, and that knowing your personal health numbers helps you and your health care provider better determine your risk for developing future problems,” commented Angela Patterson, chief nurse practitioner officer for MinuteClinic. “By offering free heart health screenings at our MinuteClinic locations this Valentine’s Day, we can help women assess their heart health and make any necessary changes to their lifestyle to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.”

Cardiovascular diseases kill approximately one woman every 80 seconds in the United States, yet 80% of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes, according to the American Heart Association. CVS’ in-store donation program and heart health screenings are the first of many initiatives to support its three-year, $10 million commitment to the association.

“CVS Health and the American Heart Association both share a deep commitment to making a meaningful health impact in the communities we serve and we couldn’t be more energized and excited about them joining us in the fight against heart disease in women,” stated American Heart Association chairman Al Royse. “CVS Health’s support of Go Red For Women will help fund lifesaving research and education in this critical area, while also providing easy ways for their customers to ‘Go Red.’ We look forward to saving and changing countless lives by working together.”