Emanuel Medical Center will be kicking off its celebration of American Heart Month in February with the Glow Red Luncheon with special guest Cheryl Burke from “Dancing with the Stars.”

Burke, a Bay Area native, will tell her own personal story about performing on the hit ABC television show, creating and producing her own live stage show "Love on the Floor," and speak about the need for women to exercise regularly to maintain heart health.

“In addition to being inspired by Cheryl Burke, women who come to this year’s event will also have the opportunity to learn hands-only CPR, which can save a life, as well as have their blood pressure checked and take a cardiac risk-assessment test to better understand their own heart health,” said Sue Micheletti, CEO of Emanuel Medical Center.

The California Department of Public Health’s County Health Assessment in 2015 found Stanislaus County had a coronary heart disease death rate of 148 deaths per 100,000 residents, landing the county 57th out of the state’s 58 counties.

This will be the second year for the luncheon that takes a particular focus on heart-health issues as they relate to women. The symptoms of heart attack can be different in women and men, and are often misunderstood – even by some physicians. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort, but women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

According to the American Heart Association an estimated 44 million women in the United States are affected by cardiovascular diseases and about 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke.

“Cardiovascular diseases and stroke cause one in three women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every 80 seconds,” Micheletti said. “Emanuel has done a lot to bring lifesaving cardiac care to Turlock to help improve those statistics, and supporting the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign is another way we’re trying to help.”

Burke, who first rose to national fame on the popular television competition series “Dancing with the Stars,” will get a chance to see the talents of some of Turlock’s own dancers. Some of the performers from the Dancing with the Turlock Stars non-profit organization will be performing an opening number at the luncheon.

Last year, more than 200 women attended Emanuel’s event, which is why it was moved to a larger venue for this year. It will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Assyrian American Civic Club at 2618 North Golden State Blvd. in Turlock. Tickets are $30 each or a reserved table for 10 for $300 and all proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association. Call 250-5355 for ticket information. The deadline to buy tickets is Jan