Lauren’s Second Line – Why We Walk

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.

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 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.