From Awareness to Action: How Heart of a Woman Changed my Perspective

In 2018, NFBPWC began a powerful partnership with Houston Methodist Hospital and the vibrant NFBPWC Houston organization. I attended the inaugural event alongside 2016–2018 NFBPWC President Elizabeth Benham, unaware at the time that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States.

Under the leadership of NFBPWC Houston President Paola Ferrari, the local organization worked closely with national leadership and Houston Methodist to create what became the Heart of a Woman event—an impactful partnership that continues today.

Its legacy endures by “educating physicians, nurses, and the entire care team about the gender-specific symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease, and how women can proactively improve their own heart health.” Find more information here.

When I attended the Heart of a Woman conference, I had not yet been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Listening to the stories of women—both younger and older than me—was enlightening and deeply moving.

I heard accounts of women whose symptoms were dismissed in emergency rooms, whose experiences were discounted by medical professionals, and who had to fight to receive appropriate care.

I also learned from physicians who were passionate about closing the knowledge gap around women and heart disease in order to save lives.

That experience fundamentally shifted my perspective. When I received my own diagnosis in 2020, I drew on what I had learned, revisiting the information and beginning my medical journey informed, empowered, and prepared.

With all my heart—pun intended—I strongly encourage our members to attend the upcoming Heart of a Woman event on February 6, 2026. What you learn truly might save a life.

Register here.

MEGAN SHELLMAN-RICKARD
Immediate Past President
2024-2026