This year's Heart Walk is especially meaningful to me.

Through my work with the American Heart Association, I know that the research, treatments, and medical advances funded through donations save lives every single day. For years, many members of my family have benefited from lifesaving procedures and therapies made possible by scientific discoveries supported by the AHA.

This year, that mission became deeply personal.

My husband survived a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening blood clot in his lung. Thanks to advances in medicine, expert healthcare professionals, and years of cardiovascular research, he's still here today.

For more than 100 years, the American Heart Association has worked tirelessly to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke, improve treatments, and give families more precious time together.

I'm walking because I believe in that mission. I'm walking because I've seen its impact firsthand. And I'm walking because I hope to have another 37 wonderful years with my husband. 

If you're able, please consider supporting my Heart Walk fundraiser. Your donation helps fund research, education, and advocacy that will save lives and create more stories like ours