HEART SURVIVOR Local Heart Survivor Works To Raise Awareness
Reported by: Darrah Wilcox
Web Producer: Darrah Wilcox
Reported: Feb. 6, 2012 6:12 PM EST
Updated: Feb. 27, 2012 12:56 PM EST
EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
Even though Lisa Hamrick was diagnosed with a heart murmur when she was four years old, she lead pretty active childhood... with the exception of some sickness and fainting episodes through junior high, high school and college. Doctors told her, "Just take it easy when you get hot."
Growing up, her dad had several heart attacks. During college, she was at one of her dad's doctor's appointments when she was finally got her own diagnosis.
"Peyton ductus arteriosus."
"Basically the ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel when you're an infant forming, that's to shut off shortly after birth to prevent the blood flow between your aorta and pulmonary valve. Mine did not."
She went to Cleveland Clinic for surgery. "I have a metal clamp now in my heart."
Since then, she hasn't had any issues, and works as a business development manager for Brickstreet Insurance in Charleston. "I don't have to do anything special other than be sensible, as we all should be, with our diet."
She's happy to share her story, and excited to know how far medical advances have come in the past 30 years for the condition. "They can repair this on the spot with a heart cath."
She wants more women to know that heart disease is not just a "man's disease". It's the number of killer of women in the country. That's why Lisa has joined the AHA's Go Red For Women Campaign to fight heat disease.
"I'm very fortunate to have survived and be able to talk about this today."
You can be your own advocate, and take better care of yourself to reduce your risk factors by eating right, exercising regularly, and educating yourself about heart health.
Go to www.goredforwomen.org for more information about heart disease!
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