Sixers To Join Nation In Raising Heart Health Awareness On Go Red Night, Presented By Main Line Health

PHILADELPHIA, PA. – JANUARY 30, 2013 – The Philadelphia 76ers will join the nation in raising heart health awareness by wearing red at their annual “Go Red Night,” presented by Main Line Health, when they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday, February 1 at the Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 p.m. The night coincides with the American Heart Association’s “National Wear Red Day.”

Main Line Health is the official healthcare provider of the Philadelphia 76ers. 

To show their support for the cause, the Sixers players will sport their red road jerseys for the game, and the coaching staff and broadcasters will wear red ties. Fans are encouraged to wear red to the game as well.

The first 5,000 fans to enter the arena will receive a red card on which they can write the name of someone who inspires them to live a heart healthy life. When prompted by the Sixers’ public address announcer, those fans will be asked to stand and hold up their cards.

“As February is National Heart Month, Main Line Health is excited to partner, once again, with the Sixers and the American Heart Association to host ‘Go Red Night’ and communicate the message of heart health to the men and women in our region,” says AHA Go Red Champion spokesperson Dr. Erin O’Malley Tysko, a cardiologist at Lankenau Medical Center, Main Line Health. “Heart disease continues to be the nation’s leading killer, and Main Line Health is dedicated to fighting heart disease, starting with educating patients about a heart healthy lifestyle, reducing the risks of the disease and providing the most advanced treatment.”

Sixers forward Spencer Hawes and his mother, Lisa Hawes, will serve as the spokespeople for Go Red Night, speaking about heart health in a PSA to be shown in-arena and during game broadcasts. Spencer Hawes will also address the crowd on the court with his mother before tip-off.

At halftime, Lisa Hawes and Dr. Erin O’Malley Tysko will crown Elizabeth McDermott of Wynnewood, Pa., as the 2013 Queen of Hearts, a distinction given yearly to a woman who is committed to living a heart healthy lifestyle. McDermott was hospitalized for heart failure during her second pregnancy and, after a stay in the ICU, was able to overcome her diagnosis. She now encourages others to maintain their heart health as a cardiac care nurse, and keeps a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

The Sixers and Main Line Health will also share heart health tips during breaks in play on the jumbotron.

The Sixers next host the Washington Wizards at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, January 30 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are still available online at SIXERS.COM, by phone at 215-339-7676 or in person at the Wells Fargo Center box office.