Member Stories

Stronger Than My Diagnosis By Amy Bies  I’ve had two heart attacks… and now I live with congestive heart failure and CKM syndrome. Honestly, it was scary. The first time, I didn’t fully understand what was happening—I just knew something was wrong after a car accident tore an artery. The second time… that’s when it hit me...a widow maker heart attack at the age of 42. This was my life now. After t

My Second Chance By Alicia Smalls  Everyday is a precious gift from God. I try not to take it for granted. Right now I am constantly trying to find ways to improve my work life balance. I try to incorporate fun ways to exercise and healthy eating habits. I learned with this second chance of life I want to travel around the world and have unforgettable experiences. I have redefined what makes me ha

I was 26 when my life changed. I have always been independent. I had worked since I was 16, went to college, had my own home and was working two jobs. Then I started gaining weight. My legs were swollen and hurting, and eventually I became so short of breath that I had to sleep sitting up. Walking to the bathroom meant stopping to catch my breath. I knew something wasn't right. I was eventually di

I never expected to have a heart attack. I was on vacation when I started feeling sick. First came the chills, then stomach discomfort. I thought I had indigestion. Eventually, I couldn’t lift my arms, but I still went through the entire night before going to the hospital. A blood test showed I had experienced a heart attack, and I eventually needed three stents.  Afterward, I educated myself. I c

My heart journey started in a way I never expected. In 2007, my daughter and I were in a car accident. The impact of the seat belt damaged one of my arteries, causing what doctors considered a non-traditional heart attack. At the hospital, I also learned that I had high cholesterol. I already had type 2 diabetes, but at the time, I didn't really understand what those numbers meant for my health.  

Before my heart failure journey began, I didn’t really understand what heart failure meant. I assumed that if my heart was still beating, it could not be failing. When I began experiencing extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and fluid retention, I knew something was wrong, but I did not understand how serious it could be.Even taking a shower became exhausting. Raising my arms to wash my hair coul

Heart disease has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was born with a congenital heart valve defect called mitral valve regurgitation, so taking care of my heart has always been part of my life. Because it was something I had always lived with, I didn’t grow up thinking my heart condition had to define me. I ran track in high school, became a teacher and continued doing the thing

For a while, I knew something wasn’t right. I was tired, getting more winded and noticeably bloated. But there always seemed to be a reason to put off going to the doctor. It was COVID-19. I was caring for my mother. Life was busy. I kept telling myself, “I’ll go.” And I didn’t. Then in May 2022, while on my way to my stepmother’s funeral, I became very sick. I had persistent indigestion, looked p

Closing the Gap for Caregivers and Care Partners by Lana W. [June 23, 2026]It has been 5 years since my husband’s stroke, and our lives have changed forever.  My background is nursing and when the stroke occurred, I thought I would be prepared to care for him above all people.  What the reality was that the role of Care Partner is significantly different from the role of the medical professionals.

Forever 17: Meet Crystal by Crystal M.In 2024, my 17-year-old son, Santino, passed away unexpectedly from sudden cardiac arrest in his sleep while staying at his girlfriend's house. He was supposed to come home that day, but instead, at 7:45 that morning, our lives changed forever.There were no warning signs. Santino never complained of feeling sick. He was healthy, active, full of life, and had s

By Cristiano GoldenbergI became a running lover in March 2007. After more than three years living abroad, I came back to my Brazil – where I was born – with some extra pounds. So, I started running to lose weight, but after achieving my target, I couldn’t stop running. After that, I participated in a couple of running events. On April 12, 2015, I woke up early to complete my 16th half-marathon in

By Lilian TsiI was 46 years old when I had a small stroke in August 2010. I was working in a high-stress, male-dominated industry and wasn’t taking very good care of my health. About 6 months before the stroke, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, and the doctor’s office prescribed a medication to lower my blood pressure.I had to drive long distances in my work, and I didn’t like the effects

By Suzanne GrindleHi, friends. I want to introduce myself as a fellow open-heart surgery survivor. The “elevator introduction” is short and sounds simple: One year ago today, they stopped my heart and repaired it. It was a miracle I didn't know I needed. I think we all know that’s never the whole story. I’d like to share mine with you all. I want to tell you about those first few days of a diagnos

By David ThomasI knew immediately that something was wrong, classic warning signs that my body was shouting at me: sharp upper‑left chest pain and numbness slowly rolling down my left arm. Two more waves followed on the way to the hospital, and a final punch in the ER while being wired. Hearing the words, heart attack, felt surreal. Thankfully, I was already in the right place to survive it.In the

By Katie MoegenbergI never expected to hear that I had high blood pressure as a teenager. I was active, played sports, and felt completely fine. During an EMT class, my teacher used me as an example to check blood pressure. He paused, checked it again, and told me it was really high. My parents took me to the doctor, and from there it turned into more appointments, more tests, and more questions.

By Nefertari WilliamsIt has been almost 18 years since my coronary artery spontaneously ruptured while I was nine months pregnant. The words look so calm as I type them, one letter appearing after another in an organized, rhythmic pattern. However, the event was anything but calm. It was the most terrifying experience that I have ever had. And worst of all, no one could tell me why I had a heart a

By Rob ThomsonI’ve always been an athlete. I wasn’t thinking about cholesterol or heart health—just living, having fun, and making the wrong decisions. My family had a history, sure, but I figured I was too young and strong for it to touch me. In 2015, a heart scan showed I was high risk. That scared me into action. I changed my diet, lost weight, started meds—then stopped when I felt better. Five

By Gigi CamposI was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia when I was five years old. My cholesterol was always dangerously high—sometimes over 380—but I thought I had time. My mom had it too, and she never had a heart attack. I figured I’d be okay like her.At 36, I had a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest. I was on a low-dose statin and trying to manage it, but my LDL was still at 39

By Heather BowersI found out I had high LDL cholesterol at a college health fair. I was young, healthy, and didn’t think it was something I needed to worry about. Even as a nurse, I assumed avoiding fast food was enough.But in July 2023, at just 40 years old, I had a stroke.I never imagined something like this could happen to me. I now walk with a cane, live with post-stroke fatigue, and wonder if

By Raynard JohnsonAs a 74-year-old African American, I basically stumbled across my chronic condition, known as PAD (peripheral artery disease). Nearly 10 years ago, I began experiencing severe pain in my calves for walks of any distance. I begrudgingly went to the doctor and learned of my condition. I was not a smoker, and there was no medical history of this in my family.  My dietary habits were