Advancing Vascular Health. Changing Lives.

The Foundation to Advance Vascular Cures is thrilled to celebrate our Board Member, Dr. Leigh Ann O’Banion, recipient of the 2026 Vascular Career Advancement (VCA) Award, presented through a collaboration between the VIVA Foundation and the Leipzig Interventional Course (LINC). This prestigious recognition celebrates her contributions to vascular care and her commitment to advancing the field. Dr. O’Banion’s work reflects the kind of leadership that moves vascular health forw

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Brianna Krafcik, MD, has been named the 2026 Wylie Scholar Award recipient. Dr. Krafcik is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Vascular Surgery at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Her innovative research will focus on improving shared decision making for patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Dr. Krafcik’s project, “Enhancing Shared Decision Making for Patients with Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis,” ad

After both her mother and her aunt were diagnosed with peripheral artery disease (PAD), Mariam was left wondering why her family had known so little about a disease with such serious consequences. Mary loved to walk. She and her husband, Bill, traveled throughout California and the West, spent time outdoors, and volunteered together as campground hosts. She raised four children, remained deeply connected to her family, and lived to be 98. So when peripheral artery disease eve

He was in his mid-20s, active and playing basketball, with no history of surgery and little reason to imagine that vascular disease would become part of his life. Then he felt what seemed like a cramp in his calf. He dismissed it at first. But the discomfort grew. His leg became increasingly fatigued. He went from doctor to doctor searching for an explanation, but the answers never quite fit. Medication was suggested. A musculoskeletal problem was considered. Still, he knew s

Latonya Wulff knows what it means to fight for a limb. Her journey with peripheral artery disease began after a foot problem revealed something far more serious. A piece of glass had become embedded in her foot without her realizing it because she had lost feeling there. When vascular specialists became involved, they discovered peripheral artery disease. What followed was a long road: multiple procedures, multiple amputations and repeated efforts to restore blood flow. Event

For one patient living with diabetes, the biggest obstacle wasn’t simply taking medication. It was understanding why she was taking it. She wanted to know what her medications did, how they affected her body, what side effects to expect, and how treatment fit together with diet, exercise and the choices she made every day. This education helped her manage her diabetes, and to prevent the onset of PAD. That changed when she enrolled in a diabetes education program. Suddenly, m