At 23, Jenna was healthy, thin, young and happy. She also had a heart functioning just barely above those in need of transplants. At first she thought stress was the culprit in her racing heart rate. When it started happening more regularly, however, Jenna decided to see a doctor. And it’s a good thing she did. Tests showed her heart was dangerously weak but doctors had no idea what caused it. Now she’s exercising, watching what she eats, and enjoying more energy than she ever had before. “Heart disease isn’t biased,” she reminds us. “You’re never too young for this to happen.”

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Jennifer turned to smoking, drinking, eating and shopping to cope with the inadequacies caused by her struggles with weight gain. At only 34 years old, she didn’t think she’d make it to 54. Luckily, a friend helped her make the choice to take charge of her health. Jennifer changed her career, ditched unhealthy relationships, and devoted herself to improving her health. She no longer looks at the numbers on the scale. She’s focused on how she feels and how her choices can support her healthy desires. Jennifer has taken control of her life, and she hopes to inspire other women to do the same.

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The wake-up call came after her father-in-law died of a heart attack. Since his eating habits contributed to his heart disease, Maria and her husband decided to make changes to their own diet. Maria became so concerned with taking care of her family that she neglected herself. Between her full-time job, school, and her family, she often forgot to eat. All of that has changed. “I know that if I don’t take care of myself,” she asserted, “I can’t take care of my family.” Today she’s finding the balance she needs, taking care of her family and avoiding the unhealthy choices that can lead to heart disease.

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Heart attacks claimed both of Gail’s grandfathers, her father has suffered from several, and her mother has an enlarged heart and hypertension. These warning signs, combined with her own high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and a number of other risk factors, weren’t enough to push Gail to action. It took her daughter’s tear-filled pleas to wake her up to the dangers of her lifestyle. Now, almost 30 pounds lighter thanks to diet and exercise, nothing can stop Gail from choosing a healthier lifestyle. She even has something to keep her going – the smile on her daughter’s face.

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35 years old, 13 weeks pregnant, and Andrea was driving home. Her body was overheating and, though her left arm had stopped functioning, heart attack never crossed her mind. The pain became so great that went to the Urgent Care Center where doctors airlifted her to another hospital where she received an angioplasty and a stent. Her life was saved but, unfortunately, her baby’s was lost. Andrea’s life came to a standstill, but she was inspired by survivor stories on GoRedForWomen.org and began turning her life around. She no longer lives under the pretenses that she’s healthy and young, and she hopes to support those who need her help.

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Most people think a heart transplant can save lives. For Yuki and her father, his transplant saved their relationship. After a lifetime apart and 15 heart attacks over 11 years, her father flew from Japan to New York to await a transplant. After his surgery and recovery, the two became closer than they’d ever been. With her father’s encouragement, Yuki left her stressful finance job to start a nonprofit that provides affordable housing for heart transplant and cardiac patients in the Greater New York area. She wants women to know that heart disease affects the whole body, not just your heart.

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Heart disease was a recurring theme in Vickie’s family, but she didn’t choose to take care of her own heart until the day her mother went in for a routine stress test and ended up needing a triple bypass. That was the fuel she needed to change her own health. From cheeseburgers and milk chocolate to steamed broccoli and daily walks, Vickie transformed herself. She also exercises every day, even wearing ankle weights when cleaning! “I don’t want to be part of the heart disease tradition in my family,” she explains, “so I’ve made the choices to change my health and my life.”

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Rolanda was in total shock when her doctor told her she was having a heart attack. No one in her family had a history of heart disease and she had been exercising regularly for a year before it hit. After the attack, she internalized her feelings of depression and anxiety. Then, after learning she’d have to take several medications for the rest of her life, she decided to speak out. She began sharing her story, motivating others to share their own tales of health-related issues. Rolanda didn’t know anything about heart disease before her experience, but what she knows now fuels her forward.

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Gloria thought it was heartburn but, thinking “better safe than sorry,” decided to visit the doctor. That decision saved her life. She underwent an angiogram, followed by angioplasty and placement of a stent, but still required emergency coronary artery bypass surgery to restore blood flow to her heart muscle. The recovery was painful, but she now wears her scar as a badge of honor. Exposing it gives her a chance to talk openly about heart disease with other women. “No matter who you are or what lifestyle you lead, you need to be informed and make the changes you can,” she says.

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