Go Red kicks off Girlfriends Challenge - WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

MADISON (WKOW) -- For the next 12 weeks, a group of local women will be competing their way to healthy hearts. They kicked off their Go Red for Women Girlfriends challenge Wednesday.

The program was created by UW Health and the American Heart Association. 27 News will be following their journey over the coming weeks.

There are three teams made up of three women each. They meet with health professionals on a regular basis to set goals, get some exercise  and learn how to be heart healthy every day.

But they are not just doing this for themselves. They're doing it for their families, and each other.

Team member Kristi Brereton says, "We'll be there for each other for the foreseeable future, to make sure that we all stick to what we're learning."

Experts say the leading cause of death in women is heart disease. That is why WKOW is a proud sponsor of Go Red for Women, to get the word out.

You can also follow the Girlfriends Challenge here and get access to the same tools they have.