Every September, I walk with the American Heart Association for deeply personal reasons.

This year feels especially meaningful.

Recently, I learned that a UCSF colleague I had worked with suddenly passed away following a major cardiac event. It was a heartbreaking reminder that heart disease doesn’t just affect “someone else.” It touches people in our everyday lives—our families, friends, coworkers, and even those we know only in passing. None of us are as far removed from heart disease as we might think.

I also walk in honor of my mom’s birthday—a celebration of her life and the precious moments we’ve shared. Because of her heart health, we’ve been fortunate to travel the world together, most recently exploring Spain. Those memories are gifts I never take for granted.

My mom has been an inspiration in this fight for decades. After losing her father to heart disease when she was a brand-new mother, she became one of the American Heart Association’s top fundraisers for many years and even participated in one of their public awareness campaigns. I’m proud to continue the work she believed in so deeply and to carry forward the commitment she made to helping other families avoid the loss that ours experienced.

I walk for the lives cut short by heart disease—for the granddaughters, like me, who never had the chance to know their grandparents, and for families who have lost loved ones far too soon.

This year, I’m also walking because scientific research matters. At a time when science is being questioned and research funding faces increasing challenges, it’s more important than ever to stand behind the discoveries that save lives. Every breakthrough in preventing, diagnosing, and treating heart disease starts with research—and research depends on people willing to invest in hope.

I believe in a future where more families get to celebrate birthdays, take those dream vacations, watch children and grandchildren grow up, and create memories together.

Every step I take is a step toward stronger hearts, longer lives, and a future with fewer families facing the heartbreak of losing someone they love.

Will you be a Heart Walk Hero with me?

Your donation helps fund groundbreaking research, lifesaving education, and advances that give people more time with those they love.

Thank you for supporting this cause that means so much to me. Together, we can make a difference. â¤ï¸