HARD-EARNED WISDOM by Jennifer B.
I just began my freshman year in high school and found out I had more problems to deal with than just what to wear to school. I was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, known as an atrial septal defect. I received open heart surgery to repair my heart, and I am now a healthy 22-year-old female who wants to share my story with all women. Whether you are a 55-year-old woman or a 15-year-old girl, your heart health can be controlled by yearly physicals, with a healthy diet and with daily exercise. You have one heart and one body, so take control of it and love yourself every day.
A SUPERHERO STORY by Lauren T.
For as long as I can remember my mom has been the strongest person in my life. She has these superhero powers that can easily surpass any obstacle. Last winter she was hospitalized with chest pains related to high blood pressure. After the hospital she made another superhero decision of her own, to focus on her health. She has lost thirty seven pounds and...her new diet consists of well-rounded, low-sodium meals. I guess now would be a good time to thank Campbell Soup Company for helping women like my mother. I don't know what I would do without my superhero, Mom.
GENERATIONS OF STRENGTH by Christina K.
My mom is my hero, always has been always will be, plain and simple. When the doctor told us she needed a pacemaker, I felt my whole world come to a complete halt. It has been two months since my mom’s surgery and she has made a full recovery. Together we eat healthier, exercise more frequently and remind each other to take our vitamins. The initial scare of my mom having her surgery has now turned into the most positive lifestyle change that I will be able to pass onto my own children.
A GRANDMOTHER’S EXAMPLE by Candyce C.
My grandmother is my heart-health hero because she persistently abides by a heart-healthy regimen and has inspired me to do the same. She has shown me how important heart disease awareness is through the effect high blood pressure has had and continues to have in her life, and how easily the heart is affected by genetics and lifestyle. My grandma inspires me to watch what I eat, keep check of my own sodium intake and learn about staying healthy. Most importantly she encourages me to continue forward through life’s setbacks.
A HEALTHY START IN LIFE by Lee W.
Heart Health Champion: Francine Blackwell. [My mother] made a commitment to raise her children to live healthy lifestyles. She didn’t want us to suffer any of the diseases that so many African Americans die from, such as heart disease…. Through grade school, I can remember sitting at the lunch table with my class longing for a PB&J, a bag of chips…. Unfortunately, my brown paper bag lunches were always filled with whole wheat sandwiches, raisins or carrot sticks, granola bars and other things a child might find deplorable. Now, I will raise my kids as my mom did me in the hopes that they will carry on their grandmother’s legacy and make healthy choices with food.
PARTNERS IN GOOD HEALTH by Erika B.
When I came across Rolanda Perkins’s youthful and joyful smile and her story about surviving a heart attack, it moved me. On the day of planning her sister’s 40th birthday, Rolanda started having chest pains. She didn’t go to the hospital right away…. When she arrived at the hospital the doctor told her she was having a heart attack; and that she needed to have a cardiac catheterization procedure. Rolanda and myself are taking steps to live a heart-healthy lifestyle by staying fit, eating properly, and planning out daily activities. “Let your heart beat M’m! M’m! good everyday.”