Singapore Heart Foundation marks Mother’s Day with Go Red for Women Picnic

May 12 saw 50 families come together to celebrate their favourite women and to raise awareness about the risk of heart disease for women at the Singapore Heart Foundation’s Go Red For Women Picnic.

Held at the Marina Barrage, the picnic marked the end of the Singapore Heart Foundation’s annual Go Red For Women campaign.

Participants and their families took part in a mass healthy picnic and an afternoon of kite flying.

The highlight of the afternoon was the “Love Your Heart” Kite Flying Competition.

One of the first kite flying competitions held in Singapore, it gave families a chance to work together to fly a kite steadily at a minimum of 10 metres for 30 seconds.

Participants were also treated to a variety of entertainment, which ranged from quad-line kite performances, as well as the display of the largest kite in Singapore.

The kite, which measured a whopping 8.6m by 8.7m, came courtesy of local kite specialist King of Kites.

Other performances included a taekwondo demonstration and an entertainment act by local band Dale & The Contraband.

The picnic day also saw the launch of SHF’s mascot named ‘Hugo the Heartthrob’. Hugo (which means heart) is a life size friendly and smiling heart.

At the event, blood pressure screenings were made available to remind everyone of the importance of monitoring one’s risk factors.

Speaking about the Go Red For Women Picnic Day, Dr Goh Ping Ping, Spokesperson for the Go Red For Women Campaign said mothers, being busy caring for their families, they sometimes tend to neglect their own health, forgetting that it is just as important for them to care for themselves in order to care for other.

“This is why we hope that through the Go Red for Women Picnic Day, we are giving them a day not only to be recognised for the many things they do, but also providing them a fun and simple way to remember to care for their hearts,” she said.

This article was first published in Asiaone