[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2761-2762]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE WORK OF DR. AMPARO VILLABLANCA AND THE 20TH YEAR 
             OF THE WOMEN'S CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 10, 2014

  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the work of 
Dr. Amparo Villablanca, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the 
University of California, Davis, and to celebrate the 20th anniversary 
of the Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program. I ask my colleagues to 
join me in honoring Dr. Villablanca, who has devoted her career in 
medicine to identifying and building awareness of the cardiovascular 
disease risk factors for women.
  In 1994, Dr. Villablanca established the nation's first program 
dedicated to researching, preventing and treating heart disease in 
women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death of women in the 
United States, causing one in three deaths each year, more than all 
forms of cancer combined. Dr. Villablanca has conducted laboratory 
research that has advanced scientific knowledge of the unique 
biological causes and indicators of heart disease in women.
  Dr. Villablanca has actively engaged with grassroots organizations in 
conducting community-based research to identify and mitigate heart 
disease risk factors among populations most at risk, including African 
American and Hispanic women. Her tireless advocacy for women's heart 
health earned her a place on

[[Page 2762]]

the Woman's Day magazine Heart Health Advisory Board and the magazine's 
inaugural Red Dress Award.
  Furthermore, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of 
the Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program at the University of 
California, Davis, which recognizes the importance of research and 
patient-care programs to identify the risk factors and preventions for 
heart disease among women. As part of the program, Dr. Villablanca has 
hosted the annual Women's Heart Care Education and Awareness Forum 
since 2006 to encourage community champions for women's health and 
expand appreciation for lifestyles and health behaviors that benefit 
cardiovascular health. In 2010, Dr. Villablanca forged an innovative 
partnership with the UC Davis Department of Design to create and 
display a collection of student-designed red dresses and ensure heart-
health messages reach a younger generation of women. The Forum embraces 
the link between health and art that the UC Davis Red Dress Collection 
represents and its role in engaging young women in understanding the 
importance of paying attention to their heart health.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing 
the ongoing work of Dr. Amparo Villablanca and the UC Davis Women's 
Cardiovascular Medicine Program in providing a woman-centered, 
culturally sensitive and respectful approach to patient care.

                          ____________________