The American Heart Association and this event means a lot to me, and I want to start by sharing something personal.
My grandfather had a stroke in the mid 1980s. Back then, we didn’t have the tools, the teams, or the systems that we have today. That experience changed everything for me—it’s one of the major reasons I went into medicine and specifically stroke care. I love what I do, and I’m proud to be part of a field that has made so much progress.
Today, we have incredible advances: stroke teams, protocols, statewide systems of care that improve recognition, treatment, and outcomes. We’ve come a long way—but we still have work to do.
The most powerful thing we can do is prevent stroke before it happens. That’s why I walk—to raise awareness about how we can support each other to make healthier choices, reduce risk factors, and recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke.
The American Heart Association is an exceptional partner in this work, and I’m honored to be part of this event again this year. Thank you for being here, and thank you for walking alongside me—for every survivor, every caregiver, and for every life we can still change.
Let’s keep walking—together.
