Cardiovascular disease remains the #1 killer for women. The number of women in the US who die during pregnancy, childbirth, or in the weeks following delivery is on the rise and disproportionately affecting our most vulnerable communities. Black women are 3x more likely to die from pregnancy complications compared to non-Black women.
We lost 1,205 women in 2021 to pregnancy-related complications. That is 1,205 too many when nearly every maternal death is preventable, and the majority are due to HEART DISEASE. We can and need to do better for our mothers, their infants, families, and communities. These women are my WHY.
I live this reality every day. Through the establishment of our Women's Heart Program at USF-TGH, I am happy to be a part of the charge to improve the equitable maternal cardiac care every woman deserves.
Please join me and my team “Two Beating Hearts” in raising funds in honor of every mother we lost and their affected families, to help drive awareness, research, and community engagement to be a relentless force in improving maternal health.