I’m supporting the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women – Woman of Impact campaign for two reasons: my family, and my own health.

In April 2018, my dad, Daryl Gade, died suddenly from a heart attack. He had just turned 60. He was the person you called when you needed steady encouragement, a laugh, or someone who made you feel like you mattered. Losing him changed how I move through the world — and it’s a reminder I carry into everything I do.

It also changed how seriously I take heart health in my own life. In 2025, I was diagnosed with a heart murmur. With our family history, I didn’t want to brush it off or “wait and see.” I asked the questions, got the testing done, and made space to pay attention to my heart the way I’d tell anyone I love to do.

That’s why this campaign matters to me. Heart disease is still the leading cause of death for women, and women’s symptoms don’t always look like the “classic” story people expect — and that costs time. We don’t need more awareness for awareness’ sake — we need better research and better care. AHA is pushing that forward: stronger research, better education, and care that reflects the realities of women’s lives.

If you’ve been thinking about donating this year, I’d be honored if you chose my page. Donations support research and programs that move women’s heart health in the right direction — so fewer families have to live through the kind of loss mine did.

Thank you for being here, for remembering my dad, and for supporting this work. And if there’s one thing you take from this: listen to your body and trust your instincts.