It was an honor to present the prestigious Wenger Award to Senator Debbie Stabenow for her tireless and extensive work on The Heart for Women Act. Left to Right: Me, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Dr. Nanette Wenger, Sharon Mallon, Lisa Tate and Debbie Loveless.

13th ANNUAL WENGER AWARDS HONORS THOSE MAKING EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH

Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI) among honorees

Washington, DC, April 8, 2013 – Three individuals and one organization will be honored tonight for their leadership in advancing women’s heart health at the 13th annual Wenger Awards, at the Ronald Reagan Building Atrium in Washington, DC. WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease hosts the Wenger Awards annually in recognition of those who have set a precedent in prevention, treatment and care of heart disease in women. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women, with 1 in 3 women dying from heart disease every year.
The Wenger Awards are named for Nanette Kass Wenger, MD, pioneer in women’s cardiovascular disease. The Wenger Awards is the only national recognition for those who are making extraordinary contributions to women’s heart health. This year’s honorees are:
The Honorable Debbie Stabenow (MI) for Excellence in Public Policy. Senator Stabenow is the first woman to be elected to the U.S Senate from the state of Michigan, and is currently serving her third term. Improving the lives of women and their families has been a priority throughout Senator Stabenow’s career on the local, state and national stage.
Senator Stabenow was the original sponsor of the HEART for Women Act, which she introduced in three sessions of Congress. She doggedly continued her efforts to address the lack of sex specific data which has been identified by the Institute of Medicine, Government Accounting Office, advocates, clinicians and women throughout the country as a serious problem.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Senator Stabenow and her staff, a critical provision from HEART for Women addressing the availability of sex specific data for drug and device clinical trials was included in the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act signed by President Obama last July.

Senator Stabenow’s achievement ensures that sex-specific data will become publicly available on a more consistent and reliable basis, thereby improving the lives of women living with heart disease and give patients and providers confidence in their treatment choices.