A SPECIAL INSERT FOR WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH
GoRedForWomen.org
Sisterhood
of Survival
Charleston women share
how they recovered
from cardiovascular
disease with help from
MUSC Health.
• Page 8
Nationally sponsored by:
Locally sponsored by:
Is there a silent killer
lurking inside you?
A SPECIAL INSERT FOR WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH
A MESSAGE FROM
OUR SPONSOR
C
ardiovascular disease (CVD) is an uncontrolled epidemic
among American women of all ages. The American Heart
Association statistics are staggering:
• One out of every three American women dies from CVD
• One American woman dies every 80 seconds from CVD
and stroke
• CVD causes more deaths in American women than
all forms of cancer combined
As sobering as these statistics seem, the opportunities for healthy
change and the prevention of CVD lie before us each and every day.
Our cardiovascular system is wonderfully durable, reliable and hardy
– if we only nourish, exercise and cherish it in the choices we make
during life. Cultivation of heart healthy behaviors, habits and lifestyle
choices can prevent 80 percent of cardiac and stroke events.
National Wear Red Day
Wear red to raise awareness of women’s No.
1 killer, heart disease, and how to prevent it.
Download free resources at GoRedForWomen.
org/WearRedDay and post pictures on social
media using #GoRedCHS or tagging us on
Facebook at AHALowcountry.
Networking luncheon
with breakout sessions
focused on women and
healthy living. Proceeds
benefit American Heart
Association’s women and
heart disease research
and education. For
more information, call
843.870.9933 or visit
charlestonscgoredluncheon.
heart.org.
Cor Vitae: This is the American Heart
Association’s premiere philanthropic group
comprised of individuals who share a commitment
to building healthier lives. Individuals who
contribute $5,000 or more are recognized as Cor
Vitae members and receive invitations to unique
opportunities to learn about our mission, core
programs and impact their gifts make.
Champion Members
Tommy Baker, Teddy & Blaire Turner, Anita Zucker
Patron Members
Brenda & Wise Batten, Pedro & Lisa De Armas,
Foster & Betty Thalheimer, Ken Seeger,
Jim & Marilyn Smith, Stuart Smith,
Karen Stawicki, Bill & Jeanne Hall
Circle of Red & Men Go Red:
Go Red Run in memory
of Robin Seay
Charleston
Heart Ball
Saturday, April 23
Memminger Auditorium
This passionate group of women and men are
committed to help find a cure for the #1 killer
of women.
This special event supports the mission of Go
Red for Women by promoting a heart healthy
lifestyle for the entire family while educating
the Lowcountry about heart disease and
stroke. For more information, visit facebook.
com/goredheartrun.
An unforgettable evening
with Charleston’s most
celebrated works of art,
one of a kind experiences,
and wine packages from
around the world. For
more information, call
843.870.9933.
Members
Lee Batten, Carolina Bryan, Rebecca Darwin,
Cress Darwin, Laura Durkalski, Lynn Hanlin,
Shannon Hudnall, Elaine Krell, J. Griffin Morrow,
Lindsay Merhege, Sarita Myers, Jon Olsen,
Danielle Ostraco, Jane Perdue, Shannon Ruhnquist,
Marilyn Smith, Karen Stawicki, Sam Stawicki,
Tiffany Takacs, Foster Thalheimer, Laurie Tarleton,
Betty Thalheimer and Rosemary Wright
Saturday, February 6 at 9:00 am
James Island County Park
Changing What’s Possible
Thomas G. Di Salvo, M.D., MPH, MBA
MUSC Health Heart & Vascular Center
Paint the Town Red
Friday, February 5
843-792-1616
With confident optimism that heart healthiness equals greater
happiness in every aspect of our lives,
Wednesday, February 24
Hibernian Hall
To create awareness, local restaurants and
stores are asked to paint a red dress on
their storefront window along with a creative
display.
MUSCHealth.org/PADscreening
Working together, we can lighten the crushing burden of CVD for an
American woman. We can live fuller, longer, more vigorously and less
fearfully, free to enjoy our work and our families more mindfully.
2016 Events
February 1-29
PAD is most common in those 50 and older, but risk
factors including smoking, high blood pressure or
cholesterol, diabetes and obesity can cause the disease
to progress earlier. If you or your doctor has concerns
about PAD, make an appointment today with MUSC
Health Vascular Service for a quick, noninvasive test that
checks for PAD and other circulation problems.
In the pages that follow, meet several of our wonderful MUSC Health
women patients. Their courage and resiliency are models for us all.
Go Red for
Women
Luncheon
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
It’s called peripheral artery disease (PAD) — the silent
killer, because you may not recognize the symptoms.
Getting screened is critical since PAD can also be a sign
of underlying heart disease. PAD occurs when blood
vessels and arteries in the arms, legs, feet, neck and
abdomen build up plaque, which blocks blood flow. This
can cause pain and trouble walking. Or even a stroke.
The MUSC Health Heart & Vascular Center is privileged to sponsor
the Go Red for Women campaign. This partnership is aligned with
our vision at MUSC Health to lead health innovation for the lives we
touch and our mission to preserve and optimize human life in South
Carolina and beyond.
Go Red For Women 3
MAINTAINING AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
The Impact of Clogged Arteries
Outside the Heart
Diagnosing PAD —
ABI Test
By Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D.
W
Medical Management
of PAD
• Aspirin
• Statin medications
• Oral anti-claudication medications
Mable Benton’s true joy is spending
time with her grandson.
Lifestyle changes that can
decrease your risk:
• Walking
• Smoking Cessation
• Good Blood Glucose Control
A Life Returned
PAD in Women
4 Go Red For Women
When Mable came for her visit, it was
clear that this leg pain had ruined her
quality of life. She was using an electric
scooter at the grocery store and could
no longer cut her grass or play with her
grandson.
Ask your doctor what medications
can help control your PAD:
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
represents accumulation of plaque in
these blood vessels, particularly in the
neck, arms, legs, and abdomen. Similar
to build-up in the arteries of the heart,
plaque causes narrowing in other parts
of your body which blocks blood flow
and causes damage—plaque in the
neck can cause stroke and plaque in
the legs can cause pain with walking,
or in some cases, severely reduce the
blood flow to the foot and toes.
To aid in this effort, the American
Heart Association is focusing on better
education about PAD, and particularly
PAD in women, as a primary goal in
2016. MUSC Health will be a pilot
At the MUSC Health Aortic Center, our
team specializes in care of patients with
aneurysms or blockages of the aorta.
This collaboration among physicians
specializing in Vascular Surgery,
Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiology
and Interventional Radiology enables
comprehensive care and provides
access to state-of-the-art technology
for minimally invasive interventions.
If you or your doctor has raised
concerns about PAD, a quick noninvasive test can be completed. The
ankle-brachial index (ABI) compares
the blood pressure in the arm to the
blood pressure at the ankle. If outside
the normal value, this simple ratio can
indicate that further evaluation with a
vascular surgeon would be beneficial.
e live in a beautiful city
and the Lowcountry
offers a multitude of
opportunities to explore
and enjoy the outdoors, whether your
preference is boating, golfing or strolling
through historic downtown Charleston.
To feel your best every day and have
the energy to enjoy an active lifestyle,
all parts of your body need to be
nourished with oxygen and nutrients.
These vital elements are carried
throughout your body by a vast network
of arteries.
While once considered more common
in men, recent nationwide studies
have noted equal percentage of
women suffering from leg PAD, but
unfortunately this frequently may not
be recognized until the disease is
advanced. Understanding risk factors,
signs and symptoms of PAD in the legs
can help women inform their doctors
about potential concerns and provide
opportunities to maximize vascular
health, and in turn, their quality of life.
vessels. She was referred to MUSC
Health.
Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D., MUSC Health
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Board Certified Vascular Surgeon
institution for a web-based training
program aimed at identifying and
treating those at risk.
Risk Factors for PAD are similar
to heart disease
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Age
• Family history of heart disease
Symptoms of PAD
Typical symptoms of PAD in the legs
include cramping pain or fatigue in the
calf when walking, but greater than
50% of women with PAD may not have
symptoms.
Behavioral changes should be
considered, for instance loss of interest
in hobbies or changes in job activities
may be due to chronic discomfort
and represent subconscious lifestyle
modifications to minimize the pain.
In conjunction with the American Heart
Association, MUSC Health’s vascular
surgeons are committed to increasing
awareness, diagnosis, and treatment
of PAD in all patients in the greater
Charleston area, and our team offers
multidisciplinary, technologicallyadvanced care to promote vascular
health in women.
Mable Benton grew up in Surfside, SC,
and works in health care in the Conway
area. She and her husband Keith have
raised two daughters and enjoyed the
addition of three grandchildren.
When she has free time, you can find
Mable gardening or fishing, but last year
she found these beloved hobbies to be
out of her reach.
Mable began noticing leg heaviness and
MUSC Health
Vascular Services
Jacob G. Robison, M.D.
Thomas E. Brothers, M.D.
Joshua D. Adams, M.D.
fatigue when walking in the late 1990s,
but only at long distances, so she took
Tylenol for the pain. By the spring of
2014, however, the pain was starting
at shorter distances, and it felt like she
“had just run 5 miles.” The following
September she noted that she couldn’t
walk 50 feet without severe back and
leg pain with “burning and cramping.”
She began using a wheelchair at work,
expecting that it was a back problem.
Finally a friend and colleague who
is a general surgeon recognized her
symptoms. He was concerned that
she had no pulses in her groins and
suggested she talk to her doctor, who
ordered an ankle-brachial index (ABI)
test. Mable was aware that smoking
cigarettes can worsen PAD and
dropped that habit as soon as she was
diagnosed. By this time her PAD was so
advanced that it showed less than 50%
blood flow at the ankles. A follow-up
CT scan confirmed blockage at the end
of her aorta and into the pelvic blood
Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D.
Patricia Cavender, N.P.
Karen Doll, N.P.
Shon Gladden
Debra Green
Providing
quality care for
patients with:
Although surgery through an open
incision on the abdomen is a wellestablished and effective way to fix this
problem, she was a great candidate for
a newer method of treatment that would
break through the blockage and use
stents to keep the vessels open. Our
team discussed the risks and benefits of
this new therapy and she was excited to
proceed. She left the office that day with
renewed hope for a long and active life.
Following surgery, Mabel had no pain
and just 2 small incisions in her groins.
She was home the next day, quickly
resuming activities and returned to
work…without a wheelchair! She
professes, “I can walk as far as I want
without pain. I have been given my life
back.”
Show you care this
Valentine’s Day
Get your loved one
screened for PAD. Visit
MUSChealth.org/PADscreening
or call 843-792-1616 to schedule
a special PAD Screening.
• Carotid disease
• Renal and Mesenteric artery disease
• Aortic aneurysms
• Peripheral artery disease
• Vein disease
Go Red For Women 5
GO RED FOR WOMEN®
Our Top Ten Accomplishments...
MORE GENDER-SPECIFIC
INEQUALITIES
MORE
More than 670,000 women’s
lives have been saved.
LIVES
HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED.
ARE BEING
SAVED.
In 2010, about 67% of
coronary angioplasties
(PCI procedures) were
performed on MEN.
Women are LESS
LIKELY than men to
receive aggressive
diagnoses and treatments
for cardiovascular
diseases. BUT THIS
MORE WOMEN
ARE TAKING
OWNERSHIP.
MORE GENDER-
IS CHANGING!
SPECIFIC
9
RECOMMENDATIONS
HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED.
MORE MEDICAL
AMERICA
RESEARCH HAS
BECOME GENDERSPECIFIC.
The FDA is now required to report
on the extent to which clinical trial
results are reported by gender, so
it’s easier to draw conclusions about
the disease’s effects on WOMEN.
IS BECOMING
MORE
MORE
WOMEN
AWARE.
ARE
AWARE.
4
8
More physicians RECOGNIZE that
women’s symptoms and responses to
medication DIFFER from men’s.
MORE WOMEN
7
MORE ADVOCACY
EFFORTS PAVED THE WAY.
Women NO LONGER pay higher premiums than
men for the same health insurance coverage.
The CDC’s WISEWOMAN HEART DISEASE
AND STROKE SCREENING PROGRAM for
low-income women now exists in 20 states.
MINIMIZED
THEIR RISK.
The rate of awareness that
cardiovascular disease is
the #1 killer in women
has increased nearly
30% since 1997.
Among women surveyed in 2014, ONE-HALF
(50%) were familiar with the Go Red For Women
campaign or had seen the logo.
Among American women (2003-2012),
smoking has DECREASED BY 18%
and the number of women meeting
physical activity requirements has
5
INCREASED BY 20%.
6
MORE COMMUNITIES
HAVE JOINED OUR FIGHT.
Go Red For Women registration has exceeded 1.1 MILLION.
There have been 1.9+ MILLION Go Red Heart CheckUps.
More than 25 MILLION Red Dress pins have been worn.
More than 185 CITIES host Go Red For Women luncheons and events.
More than 2,000 LANDMARKS light up in red on National Wear Red Day.
For more than a decade Go Red For Women has fought for equal health opportunity for women – we proudly wear red,
share our stories of survival and advocate for more research and swifter action for women’s heart and brain health.
Our future is focused on changing the culture to make it easier for women and their families to live healthier lives.
Go Red and Go Red For Women are trademarks of the AHA. The Red Dress Design is a trademark of the U.S. DHHS.
Nearly 90% of Go Red participants
have made healthy lifestyle changes.
Almost HALF have lost weight.
More than 40% have checked their
cholesterol.
More than HALF now exercise
regularly.
6 in 10 have changed their diets.
1/3 have talked with their doctor
about developing a heart health plan.
IN CELEBRATION OF SECOND ACTS
Charleston Women Share
Stories from the Heart
Jane Perdue (left) and Jenny Policky
share a moment during their time
together one sunny afternoon.
By Colleen Troy for MUSC Health
Sisterhood of Survival
The women who filed into a grand old home one recent afternoon
each shared a keen enthusiasm. Easy smiles. Warm handshakes.
W
hooshing into a drawing
room for an impromptu
lunch at the Go Red For
Women photo shoot,
each exuded energy and vitality.
Every one of these five came from
somewhere important, and had
somewhere to go.
That shared energy and zest did
little to betray the moments that
forged their sisterhood. No stranger
could have imagined that each
has survived a life threatening
heart condition or stroke. Some
came close to death; at least one
technically did die, but miraculously
was given another chance.
Collectively, they have spent months
in hospitals and in rehab treatment.
They have dropped more than 200
pounds between them. They have
logged hundreds of hours walking,
taking Zumba classes and in grocery
store produce aisles. They’ve paused
to meditate or pray. And they’ve
learned to use their experiences to
help other women avoid similar fates.
This is a sisterhood that shares the
legacy of survival, and these are their
stories.
Go Red For Women Casting Call
From left, Barbara Butler Jackson, Kim Williams,
and Shirley Temple Bickerstaff come from
diverse backgrounds but their bond is closer
than you might think.
8 Go Red For Women
August 2016
The Market Pavilion Hotel
Every year the American Heart Association hosts a Go Red For
Women Casting Call in search of women who have a personal
connection to heart disease and stroke or made a significant lifestyle
change. The women sharing their stories in this insert attended
our 2015 Casting Call and were selected as local Go Red For
Women Ambassadors. For more information, about Go Red For
Women or the Casting Call call 843.480.4907 or visit facebook.com/
AHALowcountry.
The Go Red For Women photo shoot was made possible through the generosity of several Charleston businesses.
Photographer: Taylor Stewart Photography; Hair & Makeup: Lovely Hair and Makeup; Photo Locations: The Wickliffe House,
William Aiken House and St. Luke’s Chapel
Go Red For Women 9
COVER STORY CONTINUED
Jane Perdue
Anyone who knows Jane is likely to
describe her as a woman of resolve.
A
Jane’s father had died of a massive
coronary at 46. “I knew my family
history was there, but as a woman, I
just resolved I was fine and it wouldn’t
happen to me.”
Frankly, her story is familiar to many
women. Busy with career, friends,
community and family, she never had
time to be sick. Sure, she could stand
to drop a few pounds and get more
exercise, but that could come later. In
the meantime, there were appointments
and obligations and others to tend to.
The next six weeks were a time
of gratitude and discovery. Jane
discovered that she’d had symptoms
for a long time, including shortness of
breath at night. She also learned she’s
a “cholesterol producing machine.” Her
third blockage continued to get worse,
despite a post-surgery regimen of
healthy eating and moderate exercise.
long-time corporate
executive, she turned her
energy to consulting for
businesses in Charleston.
Jane is the sort of person others turn to
when it’s time to “get things done.”
And then she encountered her “little
episodes.” Those moments appeared
out of nowhere, causing dizziness,
disorientation and shortness of breath.
“It was very odd, but not what you think
of in heart attacks,” she recalls. “None
of the chest pains or searing arm pain.”
Shopping one day with husband, Gary,
he observed an episode, then another.
Recalls Gary: “I told her she was either
walking to the car or I was dragging
her.” Tests showed no heart attack,
yet, but uncovered 3 major blockages
and she was immediately prepped
for surgery to address the most
serious 2 blockages. Jane overheard
a cardiologist tell Gary that had she
ignored her signs much longer, she’d
likely have died.
As a professional consultant,
Jane Perdue was too busy
with business meetings to
make an appointment with her
doctor. Since her surgery to
repair two blocked arteries, she
encourages business women to
know their heart health numbers.
10 Go Red For Women
Nearly two years after her initial surgery,
Jane credits the “village” that saved
her life. MUSC Health’s Dr. Salvatore
Chiaramida and Kellie McClain, Nurse
Practitioner, Clinical Lipid Specialist,
have worked with her to monitor her risk
factors and manage her third blockage
with a combination of niacin and statins,
along with a diet of fruits, veggies and
lean proteins.
As the professional consultant, Jane
focuses much of her newfound health
on helping other women gain theirs. “I
ask business women to tell me their
operating metrics. They know their
departmental metrics, sales revenue
and cost per widget.”
But, she says, asked their blood
pressure, glucose or cholesterol level,
they’re stumped.
“That is just so disturbing,” says Jane.
“We women know all the numbers
that matter to our business, but not to
ourselves. We must change this through
self-care and concern.
“After all,” she concludes. “If you don’t
know your numbers, and you kick the
bucket, it really won’t matter how good
you were at running your business.”
Barbara Butler Jackson
We’ve all met women
like Barbara. She’s
the individual who
never met a stranger.
Go Red vs.
Code Red
The American Heart
Association’s Go Red
For Women campaign
successfully acquaints
women to the unique
ways that heart disease
and stroke materialize
for them, vs. men. Below
are the core principals
of G-O-R-E-D, and a
look at how each of this
year’s ambassadors
subscribes to them:
W
hen she walks toward
you, arm outstretched,
you wonder if the
appropriate response is
a handshake. Or a hug.
Those are probably the traits that made her
such a force to be reckoned with in her role
as a high school educator, a motivational
speaker and an advocate for higher
education.
G
et Your Numbers:
Ask your doctor
to check your blood
pressure, cholesterol
and glucose.
But that high-energy lifestyle came to
a crashing halt one morning, when she
woke early, and stumbled on her way
to the bathroom. Talking to herself, she
noticed her voice sounded odd - like she
was “speaking inside a tin can.” Stumbling
again, she made breakfast, took her blood
pressure medicine, and got dressed.
O
wn Your Lifestyle:
Stop smoking, lose
weight, be physically
active and eat healthy.
R
aise Your Voice:
Advocate for more
women-related research
and education.
A neighbor insisted on driving Barbara to
the hospital. Good thing. Following a series
of MRIs, doctors determined Barbara had
experienced three consecutive lacunar
strokes.
Lacking the ability to talk, walk or
otherwise care for herself, she needed
around-the-clock care. Training her brain –
a brain that had earned a Master’s Degree
– to recognize an apple over an orange –
was beyond challenging. And she recalls
dark days, and at least three times when
she looked skyward and said: “I give up
Lord. I can’t do this anymore.”
But she applied her faith, and the same
grit that had made her a warrior for high
school kids, and resolved to recover.
Months of grueling work ensued, and she
has recovered most of her speech and is
able to walk again. Today, she is again the
energetic dynamo she had long been.
After surviving three lacunar strokes, Barbara
Jackson, a former high school teacher, found
herself relearning how to talk, walk and take care
of herself.
E
ducate Your Family:
Make healthy food
choices for you & your
family. Teach your
kids the importance of
staying active.
D
onate: Show your
support with a
donation of time or
money.
Get informed about the
risks of heart disease
and stroke. Know the
red flags. Know your
heart health story. Visit
goredforwomen.org.
Go Red For Women 11
COVER STORY CONTINUED
Kim Williams
Shirley Temple Bickerstaff
Ask Kim how she became a Go Red for Women ambassador, and you’ll be
shocked to learn her credential was a stroke.
A recent transplant from Detroit, Shirley has spent much of her working life
taking care of others.
T
W
he poised blond betrays little of
the stroke that rocked her world
in 2014.
Know the facts
A stroke—or brain attack—occurs
when blood flow to the brain
is disrupted either by a blood
clot or burst blood vessel in the
brain. Stroke is a serious medical
emergency. At the MUSC Health
Comprehensive Stroke Center,
our stroke specialists have one of
the fastest times in the country for
treating stroke patients with clotbusting medication or necessary
medical procedures.
Her journey began on an April
night, when after only 90 minutes of
sleep, Kim was awake and restless.
Frustrated at her inability to doze off,
she headed downstairs to the kitchen.
She encountered there every mom’s
frustration: a sink full of dirty dishes.
“Honestly, I was peeved and started
talking to myself. That’s when I noticed
my words were slurred.” Kim says she
knew immediately what was happening.
A look in the bathroom mirror sealed
the deal; the left side of her face was
drooping.
Make an appointment to check
your risk for stroke. Call MUSC
Health at 843-792-1616.
She was a week shy of her 47th birthday.
“All I thought was, I’m too young, and
this isn’t a good time for this to happen.”
of a stroke in 2012, she’d been too busy
to focus on her own symptoms. She had
experienced worsening migraines and
“crazy” blood pressure, but chalked it up
to simultaneously planning a wedding
and high school graduation.
Her experience that followed provides
lessons in self-advocacy. Kim was taken
to a hospital, but an early CT scan did
not indicate stroke. Kim’s father had died
of a stroke, and she and her husband
pushed for timely tests and care.
“We put our foot down and became our
own advocates,” Kim recalls.
Soon after her stoke, Kim discovered a
young stroke survivor’s group. Attending
her first meeting, she discovered, “I’m
not that young, in fact, I’m one of the
oldest in the group. To realize I am not
alone was a huge help.”
Kim Williams was a caregiver
who always put herself last. After
surviving a stroke, she urges women
to make themselves a priority and to
be their own advocate.
She reached out to the American Heart
Association and was invited to volunteer
with the Go Red for Women campaign,
and to share her story.
stroke recovery and rehabilitation. Kim
says this “was the best thing that ever
happened to me.”
At the survivor’s group, she met MUSC
Health neurologist Dr. Wayne Feng, who
works closely with stroke survivors on
Through his thorough care, she learned
that she’d been ignoring symptoms for a
long time. Despite seeing her father die
12 Go Red For Women
Dr. Feng firmly believes, “There are
gender specific risk factors for stroke.
Women deserve special attention from
physicians when it comes to determining
the cause of a stroke.”
Months later, she is still fatigued, but
lifestyle changes are paying off. “My
biggest message to other women is to
be your own advocate. Know your body.
Know when something is wrong. Don’t
ignore it. You must go to your doctor. Tell
them everything and be perfectly honest.
“Women do for everyone else, all the
time,” she concludes. “But if you don’t
take care of yourself you won’t be here
to take care of others.”
After having open
heart surgery at
40, Shirley Temple
Bickerstaff
realized she had
to make bigger
lifestyle changes
to overcome a
family history of
heart disease,
even if that meant
moving to a new
state.
hen she was diagnosed with
congestive heart failure, she
learned the hard way it was
time to take care of herself.
Shirley’s story begins in adolescence, when
her lifelong weight loss challenges began. “I
was always a heavy person, but I’d always
been able to do just about anything. I had
enough energy to do whatever I wanted.”
That changed in 2008, when her breathing
became compromised and grew worse
after her 40th birthday. Pneumonia was the
prevailing diagnosis, but she continued to
feel ill. Finally, on her third trip to a hospital
in her hometown of Detroit, a camera scope
discovered congestive heart failure and
identified two malfunctioning heart valves.
“We arrived on Monday, and they told me I’d
have open heart surgery on Monday. It was
a shock.”
Shirley recovered well from the surgery,
and resolved to start walking and losing
weight. “I got my groove back pretty quickly,
but I wasn’t focused enough on a weight
loss plan,” she says. She consulted a
cardiologist. “He looked at my history and
said at 42, I was so young, and I was literally
killing myself. That was an eye opener.”
At that point, her life took a big turn. She
decided to move to South Carolina for a
fresh start, and one hundred and six lost
pounds later, Shirley reports the move has
been positive for both health and spiritual
reasons.
It hasn’t been an easy road. And yet, she
says, “I really believe in eating yourself to
divine health. There are no quick fixes. But
getting healthier, and helping others, is a
calling. No matter where you are today, you
can take steps to improve tomorrow, and
then again the next day.”
Heart Check-Up: What Is
It and Why?
The American Heart Association
estimates that 80% of all
cardiovascular disease may be
preventable, and it’s always better
to prevent it than treat it after it
becomes life threatening. Don’t wait!
Schedule a Heart Check-Up visit to
assess your heart health. A visit may
include tests such as:
Blood Pressure: Untreated high
blood pressure can damage and
weaken your arteries.
Cholesterol: High cholesterol
contributes to plaque, which can
clog arteries and lead to heart
disease and stroke.
Blood Glucose: Over time, high
levels of blood sugar can damage
your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves
The MUSC Health Heart & Vascular
Center offers appointments to
check your risk for heart disease.
Call 843-792-1616 to schedule a
Heart Check-Up Visit.
Go Red For Women 13
COVER STORY CONTINUED
Jenny Policky
Jenny’s dramatic story is
the stuff of nightmares.
D
If you’re at risk for any one of these
heart attack risks, make an appointment at
MUSC Health Heart & Vascular Center now.
riving in Atlanta last May, she went into sudden
cardiac arrest.
The notion of losing complete control on an open
road is horrifying enough. But considering her young
age – 42 – it’s that much more shocking.
Also surprising is the notion that Jenny doesn’t remember a
thing about the entire day. Not the emails she’d sent for work
that morning, the phone calls, the visit to a chiropractor to
adjust her aching back. She doesn’t remember the ride, or the
moment she dipped down in her seat.
Thankfully, a driver in another car saw Jenny go into medical
arrest. She dialed 911, and a nearby police car arrived on the
scene in moments.
She awoke in a hospital room the following Saturday.
What brought her to that fateful day? She believes a host of
symptoms she’d ignored for what turned out to be too long.
At the time of her accident, Jenny had emerged from a difficult
business situation—a time that left her “extremely stressed
out.” Family members were concerned, as they’d never
seen her so frazzled. “I held too much in. It was all way too
overwhelming, I just gave up. Quit going to the gym, wasn’t
eating right and gained 40 pounds in a year.”
The day of her cardiac arrest, Jenny was visiting her parents
for their 50th anniversary celebration. Her back hurt, and she
suspected she was coming down with the flu. For months,
she’d been more tired than usual. A persistent, “weird” cough
would come and go, but she talked it up to Charleston allergies.
Back in the swing of things today, she realizes she’s incredibly
fortunate. “As crazy as it sounds, it was meant to be. My A-Ha
moment has been great. I’m such a loud mouth, that I’m the
perfect person to tell everyone to get CPR certified, to go to the
doctor.”
Proof point: every member of her family is now CPR certified.
Discharged from Atlanta back home to Charleston, Jenny
sought a good cardiologist. She credits “Google and God” for
connecting her to MUSC Health’s Dr. Pamela Morris. “I wanted
a female who treats females, and I absolutely love her.” She
also sees a psychologist, to help manage the emotional toll of
her experience. “I basically died that day and came back to life.
That’s extremely overwhelming.”
She finally credits her MUSC Health Wellness Center trainer
with providing the motivation she needs to stick to her healthful
goals. “He knows a lot about nutrition, and is a great coach.”
14 Go Red For Women
Jenny Policky nearly died at age 42, due to sudden cardiac
arrest that left her in a coma for five days. She urges
women of all ages to go to the doctor and for everyone to
be CPR certified.
“I have so many girlfriends who have kids and jobs and are
running the household. So many women my age take on more
than they used to, so they plan to go to the doctor later.
“But this is the #1 killer, and it can’t be ignored. Otherwise, they
may not have later.”
Source: The Healthy Heart Handbook for
Women, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2007).
At the MUSC Health Heart & Vascular Center, we take
our mission as a leader in the fight against cardiovascular
disease to heart.
Make an appointment today to discuss your risk for heart
disease. Call MUSC Health Heart & Vascular Center at
843-792-1616 or learn more at MUSCHealth.org/heart.
MUSChealth.org/heart
843-792-1616
Changing What’s Possible