On February 5, 2026, a sunlit Houston home transformed into a sea of red. There is a specific kind of energy that fills a room when a group of women gathers for a cause, and the Circle of Red ‘Wear Red Day’ Brunch was no exception. It was a morning where the high-fashion shimmer of Debra Linse Atelier’s crystal and floral handbags met a mission of high stakes: the fight against heart disease, the number one killer of women.
The tone for the morning was set by the 2026 Circle of Red Chairs, Tracy Faulkner and Cindy Cook, who welcomed the Heart Guild, the American Heart Association (AHA), and friends with a shared sense of purpose. “We are so excited to serve as the 2026 Circle of Red Chairs,” they noted. “It’s an honor to be part of such an incredible group of women, and we look forward to celebrating Heart Month and Wear Red Day with you!”
But as the brunch began, the conversation shifted from the beauty of the surroundings to the vulnerability of the heart through three deeply personal journeys.
The Survivor, The Expert, and The Lifesaver
The room fell quiet as Regay Hildreth stood to speak. A successful business owner for over two decades, Regay is the embodiment of the “busy woman.” Nine years ago, at age 40, she was juggling a career and family, dismissing high blood pressure as “white coat syndrome” and migraines as a byproduct of a hectic life.
The wake-up call came via a phone call from her cardiologist, Dr. Schnee, while she was standing in her kitchen. “Are you sitting down?” he asked. He told her she needed open-heart surgery for a severe valve issue. In a move that many in the room recognized in themselves, Regay’s first instinct was to check her calendar—she tried to schedule the surgery for Thanksgiving week so she wouldn’t miss her kids’ concerts or disrupt the office.
“You stop advocating for yourself because it’s out of sight, out of mind,” Regay told the group. “We have to stop putting everyone else first and lobby for our own lives.”
Building on Regay’s testimony, Dr. Shaden Khalaf, Director of Cardiovascular Imaging at MD Anderson Cancer Center, stepped in to bridge the gap between intuition and medicine. She spoke about how often women’s symptoms are dismissed as “anxiety” or simple exhaustion. Her challenge to the room was direct: “I want you to give as much attention to your heart as you do to your breasts.” While mammograms are a staple of women’s health, heart disease kills one in three women, making early imaging and prevention the most powerful tools in a woman’s arsenal.
Then, the narrative took a turn toward the power of action. Guest Kacy Allensworth, known to her fitness community as @thecaloriedeficitqueen, shared that the day of the brunch was a heavy anniversary for her. Three years ago, she found her husband in cardiac arrest on their children’s bedroom floor.
Kacy didn’t just wait for help; she became the help. She performed eight minutes of continuous CPR until paramedics arrived. Her story served as a vivid reminder that heart health isn’t just a personal journey—it’s about having the skills to save the people you love when every second counts.
A Roadmap for the Heart
The panel didn’t just share stories; they shared a survival guide. Dr. Khalaf emphasized that heart disease doesn’t always look like the “crushing chest pain” we see on TV. For women, it is often subtle and “atypical.”
The Red Flags to Watch For:
Jaw and Neck Pain: A dull ache that travels from the chest upward.
The “Reflux” Deception: Pain that feels like severe indigestion, heartburn, or even a stomach bug.
The Rope Sensation: A strange feeling of a rope being tightened around the chest or upper back.
Profound Fatigue: A sudden, overwhelming exhaustion where simple tasks like making a bed feel like running a marathon.
Shortness of Breath: Feeling winded while doing nothing or while lying flat.
The Preventative Toolkit: Dr. Khalaf urged women to “know their numbers” and be specific with their doctors. She recommended a Calcium Score (a quick, non-invasive CT scan to detect plaque) and annual Fasting Labs to track cholesterol and A1C sugar levels. She also championed the Mediterranean Diet—the only dietary pattern clinically proven to support heart health—and the “150 Rule”: 150 minutes of movement every week to keep the heart muscle strong.
The Next Step
As the brunch concluded, the Chairs reminded everyone that “Education is Prevention.” The mission doesn’t end with a meal; it continues with action. To that end, the Guild announced a “Firehouse Happy Hour” in March, where the focus will shift to hands-on CPR training—ensuring every woman in the room is as prepared as Kacy was to save a life.
