Mississippi music lovers will have a unique opportunity to hear a living icon and support Alzheimer’s research at what’s expected to be a sold-out concert on March 22.

After two name revisions, four venue changes, dozens of award presentations and well more than $700,000 raised, the Taste of the U will celebrate its silver anniversary – and final event – Feb. 21 at the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center.

Last Friday, legions of University of Mississippi Medical Center employees donned the color red to show their support for women fighting heart disease. But the show of strength against the disease was also about raising awareness of what is now the No. 1 cause of death in women.

Part of a national campaign from the American Heart Association, Go Red for Women illustrates a problem facing Mississippi’s female residents, a health issue that for so long was considered only a major problem for men.

“The American Heart Association began the Go Red for Women movement eleven years ago to bring critical awareness to the fact that 1 in 3 women die each year of heart disease,” said Christopher Mims, spokesman for AHA Metro Jackson. “Since 1984, more women than men have died from heart disease, yet we found that many didn’t know they were at risk. Go Red seeks to raise awareness and alert women to the risk factors.”

A number of interesting events is scheduled for the upcoming week at the Medical Center.