When it comes to heart disease, anatomy can be destiny.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women, and gaps in care and access persist between women and men. Women’s health represented just 2% of the more than $41.2 billion in health care venture funding in 2023.
Palm Beach resident Sally Soter is keenly aware of this. She suffers from atrial fibrillation ― also called A-Fib ― which puts her at higher risk for a stroke or heart attack.
Statistically, heart attacks occur more often in men. But when a woman suffers a heart attack, her chances of dying from it — either immediately or from later complications — are higher.
To address this disparity, the Palm Beach resident and longtime advocate for women’s heart health, has donated $15 million to support the American Heart Association’ s Go Red for Women Venture Fund.
““We can’t close the gender gap in cardiovascular care until we start investing in research and solutions focused on women,” Soter said. “Through the Go Red for Women Venture Fund, we can turn science into treatments that will change and save women’s lives.”