Alpha Kappa Alpha partnered with Chi Eta Phi on Friday for the American Heart Association’s 10th Anniversary of National Wear Red Day in hopes to educate the TCU community about heart disease, especially in women.

Flyers about blood pressure and heart disease were stacked on a red table set up in front of the Brown-Lupton University Union from 12-2 p.m. AKA members handed out heart-shaped lollipops to students and faculty while members of Chi Eta Phi, the nursing sorority, took the blood pressure of visitors.

“What we are trying to do is provide the students here with information about how to control [their] blood pressure. We are handing out information about blood pressure, strokes, how to live a healthier lifestyle and physical activity,” junior movement science major Curtizia Alexander said.

Senior nursing major and member of AKA Thornell Lewis was nominated to organize the event and said her goal for the day was to educate people that heart disease is a prevalent issue with women today. Heart disease is the number one killer of women, according to the American Heart Association.

Lewis also said heart disease prevention is a focus of AKA because it is a historically black sorority and heart disease is at a very high incidence in African American populations.

Members of each sorority answered questions about heart disease and shared tips on how to live a healthier lifestyle.

Senior nursing major Jessie Carter said the normal blood pressure is 120/80. She said the ticket to good blood pressure is exercising, eating right and keeping salts to a minimum.

“I really did learn more about blood pressure and the risks and factors and I feel more aware of what is going on around me," sophomore business and marketing double major Shannon Edmond said after getting her blood pressure taken.

On Friday night after the lunchtime event, AKA will host line dancing in the University Recreation Center to promote exercising and an active lifestyle.