Sigourney Weaver on the Leading Killer of Women

The prominent actress discusses the leading killer of women.

ByABC News
February 12, 2006, 11:48 AM

Feb. 12, 2006 — -- Sigourney Weaver, the "Alien" star and two-time Academy Award nominee, has joined the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign. She has a Valentine's Day message for moms: Protect your heart and take care of yourself.

Sigourney Weaver: "Heart disease is the leading killer of women in this country -- which I think most people don't know. They don't realize that it's the No. 1 cause of death in women, more than all forms of cancer and the other six leading causes of death combined. That's a staggering statistic.

Women should take better care of their own health because we are sort of the glue that holds the world together. We are the people who, you know, take care of the family and also hold down jobs. I'm as guilty as anyone of not doing this. If I can get my husband to take a physical, I go, "Well, I'll do one next year."

The Go Red campaign, first of all, it's to raise awareness that heart disease is such a serious problem for women. Don't postpone it anymore. Get a checkup. Exercise. Watch your diet. You know, whatever steps you need to take to safeguard your own health, do it now. Don't wait for your children to go to college or, you know, for your husband to retire.

You often are hearing about women whose hearts gave out, you know, in taking care of their family at the end of a certain length of time. And it's sort of like a -- It is a woman's way to go. But, in fact, it's this wonderful organ that we all take advantage of, the heart, that gives out because it's not getting enough care back. Hopefully, in the future, women will know that they have to take care of themselves if they want to take care of everybody else. That's the bottom line.