Holly Steele-Spang
age 36, heart attack survivor
It was shortly before Easter of 2009 and Holly Steele-Spang was getting ready to take her children on an Easter egg hunt. As women often do, she decided last minute to change her shoes. As she stood up from changing her shoes, Holly felt a crushing sensation in her chest. That very first symptom was quickly followed by several additional classic symptoms of heart attack in a women: a tingling sensation in her arms, lightheadedness, dizziness, and cold sweats. Thankfully, Holly and her husband immediately called 9-1-1. The medics arrived promptly and treated her as a cardiac patient.
Once at the hospital, Holly was sent for a heart catheterization where a coronary aneurism was detected - the aneurism had caused her to suffer a heart attack. Holly underwent open-heart surgery where her heart was repaired. She recently completed cardiac rehab and is living a full and normal life.
Kathy Pack
age 37, living with pulmonary hypertension.
After graduating nursing school and pursuing her dream job of cardiac nursing, Kathy Pack's life took an unimaginable twist - she was diagnosed with a very rare condition that affects only one to two in one million people - primary pulmonary hypertension.
The disease has tremendously altered Kathy's life. It causes extreme fatigue requiring Kathy to be on oxygen when she is home. Kathy now attends her 13 year old son's ball games in a motorized scooter - the same way she grocery shops. She has a central line that intravenously delivers her medicine directly to her blood stream 24 hours a day, seven days a week, preventing her from showering or dressing herself independently. And the most profound change since her diagnosis, the complicated process of carrying and delivering a healthy baby boy - a decision that could have taken her life.
Kathy know her life is precious and will be shorter than most women her age, but she is living it to the fullest and cherishing every moment. Kathy takes no time for granted, especially with her loved ones - her support system throughout her entire illness.
Kathryn Stephens
age 34, family history of heart disease
Kathryn grew up watching her father make horrible choices for his health. He was overweight, had an unhealthy diet, did not exercise and smoked literally 80 cigarettes a day. The choices he made led to a series of heart problems that today, drives Kathryn to be the healthiest person she can be.
Beginning in October of 1989, through late spring of 1998, Kathryn's dad suffered three heart attacks. After every attack he underwent bypass surgery. He also developed diabetes through the years following his first cardiac event and at one point lost his leg to the disease.
After years of mimicking her father's unhealthy behaviors, Kathryn dedcided she needed to make some serious changes in her life. And since losing her father, Kathryn has maintained her healthy liefstyle. She has not smoked even one cigarette since quitting, maintains a balanced nutritious diet, continues to exercise regularly and has maintained a total weight loss of 50 pounds. Kathryn realizes that with the right choices she will not be doomed to follow in her father's footsteps and remains committed to being as healthy as she can be.
