Campbell Red DressDALLAS, Jan 5, 2010 / FW/ — The Red Dress has become the iconic symbol in raising awareness about heart disease. Campbell Soup Company through its “AdDress Your Heart” Design and Essay Contest and in collaboration with style expert Tim Gunn are making heart health fashionable.

Inviting people to share their personal stories about heart disease by designing a Campbell red dress inspired by a “heart-health hero,” Campbell Soup Company will turn three red dress designs into red-carpet-ready couture to help raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement.

The three finalists’ stories and designs can be seen at CampbellsAdDressYourHeart.com. For every vote, from now until Jan. 28, 2010, Campbell will make a $1 donation to the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement (up to $625,000).

In February, people can continue to trigger a donation by visiting the Web site and clicking on the winning design and story.

“The winning designs are as inspiring as the heart health stories behind them,” said Gunn. “As someone who has been personally affected by heart disease, I am moved by the finalists’ commitment to addressing their heart health and honored to be a part of the AdDress Your Heart program.”

The finalists’ stories include a heart disease survivor and people who have taken steps to live a heart-healthy lifestyle after witnessing their family members’ battle heart disease:

Jodie Senouillet, 26, from Riverside, R.I., proclaims that her “heart is her hero.”

Jodie underwent her first heart surgery when she was only 10 days old and has had a lifelong battle with heart disease. Three years ago she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She makes it a priority to live a heart-healthy lifestyle, every day, to help improve her chances of surviving into “old age.”

Jessica Evans, 22, is a fashion design student from Long Beach, Calif.

While a professor informed Jessica of the “AdDress Your Heart” Design and Essay contest, it was her family’s history of heart disease that prompted Jessica to get involved. Her heart-health-hero is her grandmother, who suffered a heart attack at age 80 and then courageously transformed her lifestyle and eating habits to include more heart-healthy options.

Pablo Corona, 25, also a fashion design student from Long Beach, Calif.

Pablo was inspired by his mother who, after being diagnosed with high cholesterol, revamped her entire recipe collection to be more heart-healthy and became physically active. She now urges her children to do the same. Pablo followed his mother’s lead by joining a softball team to stay fit. Now he is pursuing a career in nursing to help other people and care for their heart health.

The winning design will become part of the Campbell heart health red dress collection, joining previous designs by Nicole Miller, Lisa Perry and Michael Vollbracht for Bill Blass.

This is the fourth year of Campbell Soup Company’s “AdDress Your Heart” program. The effort raises awareness and funds for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement by leveraging the red dress symbol to shine a spotlight on the fight against heart disease, the number one killer of women in the United States

For more information please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278).