Massachusetts State House joins the American Heart Association to Go Red for Women

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Lawmakers and staffers, dressed in red, gathered on the Grand Staircase at the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, as the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators and the American Heart Association teamed up to promote the “Go Red for Women” campaign, raising awareness about heart disease—the leading cause of death for women.

The Massachusetts State House was a sea of red on Wednesday, Feb. 5, as lawmakers, staffers, and advocates gathered for a Go Red for Women press conference in recognition of American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day. The State House News Service covered the event, highlighting the urgency of addressing heart disease—the leading cause of death for women in the United States.

Harvard University students Mira Jiang (left) and Olivia Weber (right), members of CrimsonEMS, demonstrate how to perform CPR and use an AED during the Go Red for Women event at the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Hosted in partnership with the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, the event featured a powerful message from Sen. Robyn Kennedy and Rep. Christine Barber, who both emphasized the need to empower women with education, resources, and support to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

In a hands-on demonstration, members of CrimsonEMS, Harvard University’s student-run emergency medical services organization, showcased the life-saving skills of hands-only CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). These demonstrations underscored a critical fact: while only 1 in 10 people survive cardiac arrest, improving access to CPR training and AEDs could double survival rates by 2030.

Advocates at the event also pushed for legislative action. Bills filed by Reps. Marjorie Decker and Russell Holmes and Sen. Cindy Creem would require AEDs at athletic facilities, ensuring trained personnel are available to use them and that clear signage directs people to their locations.

Dr. Lisa Owens, whose 15-year-old son died in 2022 after suffering cardiac arrest at a basketball game, speaks at the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, about the importance of legislation to expand access to AEDs.

These measures build on a 2018 law requiring AEDs in schools but aim to expand protections to club sports and private athletic venues—a gap that has had devastating consequences for families like that of Dr. Lisa Owens, of Newton, whose 15-year-old son, Preston Settles, died in 2022 after suffering cardiac arrest at a basketball game in North Andover.

The American Heart Association is committed to raising awareness, advocating for stronger policies, and equipping more people with the skills to save lives. We are grateful to State House leaders, legislators, and advocates who joined us in this mission and to the State House News Service for covering this important event.