Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester joins the DMV Links Red Dress movement to discuss the urgent need for better research and support regarding women's heart health. She highlights the often-ignored connections between heart disease, perimenopause, menopause, and maternal health. This 'Ladies First' initiative serves as a call to action to prioritize wellness and recognize the unique symptoms women face at every stage of life.

I'm Lisa Blunt Rochester, and tonight I show up not only as a US senator, but as a woman, a daughter, a sister, and a proud member of the Links Incorporated, Wilmington, Delaware chapter. I also show up as someone who has made it her life's mission to champion women's health at every stage of life, including perimenopause and menopause. Tonight's theme is Ladies First, and this is not a slogan, it's a call to action. It means women's health comes first, especially heart health, because the conditions and the connections between heart disease, perimenopause, menopause, and maternal health are real.

They are urgent, and for far too long, they have been ignored. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women, yet millions are navigating these life stages without enough research, information, or support. These are not separate issues. They are deeply connected. That's why this conversation matters. That's why this movement matters. For eighteen years, the DMV Links Red Dress has led with purpose, educating, advocating, and saving lives. What began here in the DMV is now a global movement driven by women who refuse to be silent about their health. And that's why this conversation matters, because at every stage of a woman's life, our heart health is being impacted, often without us realizing it.

From pregnancy to perimenopause and into menopause, these are not just life milestones, they are critical moments that can affect your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress, and long-term heart health.

You know, too often these warning signs are missed or dismissed, especially for Black women. And when we're busy taking care of everyone else, it's easy to ignore our own bodies. That's why today, on National Wear Red Day, we are here not just to wear red, but also to Go Red, to save lives, and to raise awareness about the number one killer of Black women. That is heart disease and stroke. Now, we are coming to you because our hearts matter. With powerful stories, trusted voices, and expert insight to help us ask better questions and take action for our own heart health at every stage of life.

Because heart health, it, it's not just medical, it's personal

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