The American Heart Association–OKC has appointed Shandy Belford as chair of the 2026 Oklahoma City Go Red for Women movement to drive local action on women’s cardiovascular health. The campaign focuses on empowering women to protect their health and addressing disparities in care, education and research related to heart disease and stroke.
The effort will culminate in the 2026 Go Red for Women Luncheon, scheduled for Nov. 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Meinders Hall of Mirrors within the Civic Center Music Hall.
Shandy Belford, CEO of Arvest Bank’s central Oklahoma market, will lead the local Go Red initiative. Belford described her motivation as rooted in the role women play in families, workplaces and communities. She frames the campaign around encouraging women to prioritize their own health, understand their risks and advocate for themselves.
Belford noted that heart disease has affected her family, which makes the mission personal. As a wife, mother and business leader, she intends to use her time, voice and resources to help save lives by advancing awareness and prevention.
The campaign aims to increase awareness of women’s cardiovascular risk and to close gaps in access to care. It emphasizes prevention and early detection as primary strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality from heart disease.
A central message Belford is promoting is the importance of routine preventive screenings and knowing personal health metrics. She urges women to schedule screenings and to care for their health without guilt.
Belford plans to engage community leaders, businesses and advocates throughout the campaign. Education will focus on prevention, improving access to care and increasing knowledge of risk factors and personal health numbers.
The campaign intends to create conversations across sectors to build a supportive community that helps women take actionable steps toward better heart health.
The Go Red for Women Luncheon will take place Nov. 6, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Meinders Hall of Mirrors at the Civic Center Music Hall. The luncheon is the culmination of the local campaign and a platform for community engagement and fundraising.
For event information, the release directs readers to the local event page and provides a contact for outreach.
Despite the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, less than half of women are aware of their risk, underscoring the need for continued education. The campaign highlights three simple but critical directives: know your numbers, know your risk and know your worth.
The release reiterates a central statistic from the Go Red initiative: cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women and claims the lives of 1 in 3 women. The movement emphasizes that many cardiac events are preventable with awareness and timely action.
The OKC Go Red for Women Luncheon is nationally sponsored by CVS Health and supported locally by OU Health. The campaign asks community members, businesses and advocates to participate in events and conversations that promote prevention and access to care.
Interested parties are directed to event registration resources and the local Go Red web page for details on involvement.
For event and campaign inquiries, the release lists Sydney Ore at Sydney.Ore@heart.org as a contact for more information about the luncheon. Media inquiries are directed to Cyd King at cyd.king@heart.org. Public inquiries can also be routed through the AHA’s general contact line.
The release summarizes the American Heart Association as an organization dedicated to longer, healthier lives and equitable health in all communities. It notes the AHA’s work in funding research, advocating for public health, and providing resources to improve outcomes for those affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke.
The AHA encourages connection through its local affiliate pages and social channels and provides a national helpline number for public inquiries.
Go Red for Women is the American Heart Association’s signature platform to increase women’s heart health awareness and catalyze change to improve women's lives. The initiative focuses on encouraging women to know their risk for heart disease, take action to reduce personal risk and access tools that support heart-healthy living.
The release notes that Go Red for Women has been active for more than two decades, is nationally sponsored by CVS Health, and is supported by additional national cause supporters.
For further event information or to participate in the movement, the release points readers to the Go Red event page and the AHA’s public contact resources.