Dr. Jill Biden and Maria Shriver lock arms for women's health equity

 FLOTUS Biden joined Maria Shriver at an event to recognize the establishment of tge first WH initiative dedicates ro women's health research at the Willard Hotel in DC. The theme was "The Power of Research: The Need for Gender Equity."

Dr. Biden contended that Maria's mother would be proud of her work and talked abiut hiw they met.

"I had met you as Second Lady when you were first lady of California, but we really had never sat down and really talked about what was on our hearts," she said. "You laid out a problem that was so simple, but so often ignored. That women's health is understudied and research is underfunded and too many of our medications, our treatments and medical school textbooks are based on men... Leaving women seeking health care in a medical world largely designed for men."

But that while many recognize when it's talked about the issue. It's not enough to "just talk about it" and highlighted action the administration has taken

signing an executive order
ARPA H. // a sprint for women's health
"That means that this year, the agency will invest millions to push forward innovations that could be life changing for women. All of you have been part of the work like this on Alzheimer's and other diseases. You've poured in resources. You've pushed science forward. You've changed how we talk about this disease."

"We will write new stories about women's health care, one where women leave doctor's offices with more answers than questions where no woman or girl has to hear again, it's all in your head or just stress. Where women don't just survive they lead long healthy and happy lives."

Before FLOTUS took the stage-- Maria Shriver spoke anf said she did nor expect to even get a meeting with the White House. She had tea wirh Dr. Biden and described it as one of the " most memorable inspiring productive and sunny meetings I've ever had."
She admitte she ever thought that meeting would result in the first ever initiative on women's health and research.

"I was hoping maybe for one or 2 billion," she joked after highlighting the presidents SOTU call for a $12 billion investment into women's health and the EO for women's health.

The first comprehensive Women's Health Care Research Center at the Cleveland Clinic also opened o. Wednesday.