I am excited to be part of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement.  We are making an impact across the generations and I want you to be a part of it.  I met an inspiring woman recently and would like to share her story with you.  Her name is Haley and here is her story:

“All you have to do is be brave!”

Those were the words Haley’s grandfather told her when she was 4 years old and facing her first cardiac ablation procedure. Those words have been an inspiration to her ever since.

Haley was born with a congenital heart defect that would cause her heart to race at 200-300 beats per minute. Most people with this condition are diagnosed as they get older, between the ages of 11 and 50, however Haley was diagnosed as an infant.

She took a variety of medications and wore a holter monitor so her parents could watch her closely. The doctors were certain – even after a second ablation procedure at age 10 – that she would never play sports.

Using her grandfather’s inspiration to “be brave” helped Haley set big goals for herself and push the limits.

She lettered in three sports in high school and earned a full scholarship to play volleyball at Lynn University, an NCAA Division II school in Boca Raton, Fla.

She is back home in Indiana now, just got married and is working in the health care industry.   Throughout all of her health struggles, she continued to live bravely. 

Haley’s story has a happy ending.  But there are so many others who are struggling to be brave.  The work the American Heart Association does helps to educate women about heart-healthy lifestyles, funds cutting-edge research and advances awareness in our community for such things as congenital heart defects.  Be BRAVE and join me in supporting Go Red!