By Monique Martin, Contributing Writer

Nothing brings awareness to a cause like celebrities. And with heart disease as the nation’s number one killer, it’s no wonder so many celebrities are getting involved. From donating items for charity auctions to personal appearances, celebrities are standing up for Heart Health.

Some choose to get involved simply because it’s a good cause, but for others the reasons are much more personal. Here are just a few of the celebrities whose lives have been touched by heart disease and who have very personal reasons for raising Heart Health awareness.

Toni Braxton
When the Grammy award-winning singer fainted while preparing to go on stage for the title role of Aida on Broadway, she had no idea how serious her condition was. Braxton was diagnosed with pericarditis, a serious heart condition. Like so many, Braxton says, “I missed all the signals.”

Now fully recovered, Braxton took her lesson public, becoming the spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s “Red Dress” campaign. Her hit song, “Un-break My Heart” never had so much meaning.

Kate Jackson
Even angels can suffer from heart disease. Well, at least one of Charlie’s Angels. Kate Jackson never suspected her fatigue was heart related. After open-heart surgery in 1994, she found a new role as a spokesman for women’s heart health teaming with “Open the Door to a Healthy Heart."

“When you open the door to your refrigerator, you’re opening the door to your body,” Jackson advises.

Making healthy choices is the first step toward heart health.

Larry King
Legendary talk show host, Larry King, had just interviewed then-Surgeon General of the United States, C. Everett Koop, earlier in the day when he felt chest pains. Quintuple bypass surgery saved his life. The three-pack-a-day smoker quit cold turkey and has used his second lease on life to further heart health awareness for the past 24 years. In addition to countless speaking engagements, King wrote a book about his experience and established the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, which provides life saving treatments for the underprivileged and uninsured.

Tommy Lasorda
Legendary Dodgers manager and Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda won the World Series twice, but his greatest victory was surviving a heart attack. His heart problems forced him to retire from baseball, but it didn’t slow him down. Lasorda teamed with Centinela Hospital to offer free cholesterol screenings, increase awareness and, in 2000, together they opened the Tommy Lasorda Heart Institute.

Daryl Hannah
She may have played a cold android in “Blade Runner” and heartless killer in “Kill Bill,” but Daryl Hannah’s got heart. Her mother suffered from a virus that weakened her heart and several sisters also have heart issues. Hannah is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association's "Go Red" campaign and an advocate for early prevention.

Regis Philbin
Six weeks after undergoing open-heart surgery, Regis Philbin was back at work on the set of “Live with Regis and Kelly.” Joining him as guests were the doctors who preformed the operation and friend and fellow heart patient, David Letterman. Since first discovering his heart disease in 2003, Philbin has been an avid supporter of heart health awareness as a spokesman for the American Heart Association.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes
World-renowned British explorer, Ranulph Fiennes has faced the dangers of scaling Mount Everest, but a heart attack nearly stopped him in his tracks. After recovering from double-bypass surgery, Fiennes set out on another adventure, but this time for a cause. He ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days for the British Heart Foundation and established the Ranulph Fiennes Healthy Hearts Appeal, which raises money for vital research equipment.

Lorraine Bracco
Best known for her role as Dr. Melphi on “The Sopranos,” the Emmy award-winning actress teamed up with Campbell’s Soup to raise millions of dollars for American Heart Association's "Go Red For Women" movement. With both parents afflicted by heart disease, it was easy for Bracco to become involved. Bracco has been a tireless speaker spreading the word about women’s hearth health.