Our team, Lauren’s Second Line, walks each year in the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart Walk in Washington, D.C. with a mission that is deeply personal.

We walk first in loving memory of our former colleague and friend, Lauren Charles. Lauren was a vibrant leader at Leidos, a dedicated committee lead for the NoVA Women’s Network, and she captained our 2020 Heart Walk team. She was tragically taken from us when she was murdered by her husband. Our team name, Lauren’s Second Line, honors her New Orleans roots—a second line parade that celebrates a life well-lived. It reflects the joy, resilience, and enduring spirit Lauren brought to every room she entered.

This cause is also personal to me. My mother lived with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a condition that places immense strain on the heart muscle. Watching her journey showed me how critical the AHA’s work is in advancing research, improving diagnosis, and supporting patients and families.

And our family’s connection to heart health doesn’t stop with the humans we love. Our beloved dog, Bear, who proudly joined us on many Heart Walks over the years, suffered from arrhythmia. The heart medications that gave him more healthy, happy time with us were originally developed for people through advances in cardiovascular research. It’s a powerful reminder that the progress we support through the AHA ripples outward in ways we don’t always expect, improving lives across species and communities.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States—and too often, symptoms in women are misdiagnosed or overlooked. By supporting the AHA, we help close this awareness gap and fund research that can save countless lives.

The impact we can make together is real. Nine out of ten people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital don’t survive, largely because no one nearby performed CPR. But extraordinary things happen when people take action. A small step. A simple skill. A lifesaving moment.

The Heart Walk brings communities together to create health and hope for every heartbeat. Every walker who joins and every dollar donated means more people trained in CPR, more groundbreaking research, and more lifesaving moments for families across the DC metro area and beyond.

Please consider honoring Lauren’s memory, supporting my mother’s legacy, celebrating Bear’s joyful marching spirit, and helping the millions affected by heart disease by donating today. Every contribution—big or small—moves us closer to a world with healthier hearts and more lives saved.