WOMEN TAKE NOTE...

Back when I was Director of Marketing and Promotions in broadcasting, I held a second job title as Public Affairs Director. On select Saturdays, colleagues from competing radio and television stations and I would meet for breakfast at a hotel for what became known as "ascertainment meetings". Although these meetings no longer take place in today's broadcasting environment, we would spend approximately 90 minutes listening to a variety of speakers representing non-profit organizations. Each representative had 10 minutes to "make their case" about why their organization should receive free air time in the form of Public Service Announcements (PSA's) to promote their work in the community. At these meetings, I often noticed my colleagues looking anguished at the prospect of having to choose one worthy non-profit organization at the exclusion of others that were equally important. I managed to avoid this scenario by using the proverbial "wide paint brush" to commit my station's ascertainment focus on "women and children's health issues". This strategy allowed me to provide air time to the largest number of non-profit health-related organizations as long as I could establish a tie to the health and well being of women and children. Having served on non-profit boards, I was usually well informed about the specific health care issues facing our country. However, one of the most shocking facts that troubles me today is that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Below are three women who are survivors of heart disease and stroke. They are also supporters of the American Heart Association's campaign to fight heart disease.

Ce Ce Mason suffered a heart attack at 31

Ce Ce Mason is a mother of two young daughters, and co-owner of Weddings and the City, where she is a wedding planner. Two weeks after celebrating her 31st birthday in March, 2005 Ce Ce and her business partner Kristin were having their weekly meeting to discuss upcoming events. Ce Ce mentioned that her chest hurt, but brushed it off to just being stressed out. Later that day, as she was driving, one of her arms began to tingle and she felt a bit disoriented. She went to an urgent care clinic, where doctors couldn't confirm what was wrong but thought it had to do with her heart. They called for an ambulance and Ce Ce was rushed to the hospital where her blood work confirmed that she was having a heart attack. Because she paid attention to her symptoms and sought medical attention, Ce Ce reduced the potential damage to her heart. If she had waited until the next day to seek medical help, it could have proved fatal. On the advice of her doctor, she changed her stress level, began eating a healthy diet and enrolled in a cardiac fitness program, determined to prevent another heart attack. By sharing her story, Ce Ce is helping to debunk the perception that a heart attack is a man's disease.

Melissa Oliver suffered a heart attack at 35

Melissa Oliver has to be the youngest bank vice president I have ever read about. At age 35, the Indianapolis native and mother of an 18-month old toddler had it all: marriage, family and her career. Standing just 5' 1" and weighing 118 pounds, she ran marathons and competed in triathlons. In fact, she had been athletic her entire life. Then during a February, 2004 conference call in her office she felt pain and pressure in the middle of her chest. Eager to get through the conference call she took "some aspirin and a couple of Rolaids" thinking she was suffering from indigestion. After the conference call, she telephoned her doctor and was scheduled for an EKG. Pictures of her heart revealed that she had suffered a heart attack as the result of an undetected congenital heart defect aggravated by high blood pressure. Worse, her cardiologist said that she could be headed straight towards another attack. "I thought I was going for my morning workout and then would be back at the office as usual. Instead, I ended up in the hospital that night and in surgery the next day." After stents were implanted, Oliver is today happy, healthy and living well. Her message to women? Listen to your body. Learn the warning signs of a heart attack and have regular medical check-ups.

Heart Attack Warning Signs

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
  
  
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Cindy McCain suffered a stroke at 50

"When I had a stroke at age 50, I learned the hard way that while our intentions are well-placed, we are going about it all wrong. As mothers, wives, daughters and sisters, the best thing we can do for our families is take care of ourselves. We owe it to everyone we care about to take our own heart health seriously". McCain had high blood pressure—the primary cause for strokes—and she wouldn't take her medicine, thinking that, at 49, she was too young to need it. "It was a hell of a lesson to learn," she said. McCain had just returned to Phoenix from an international trip and was having lunch with friends when she suffered a stroke that put her in intensive care for two weeks. She radically changed her diet, resting and exercising. "Right after I had the stroke, I was just lying there and I couldn't communicate, I couldn't talk, and I hadn't been able to say goodbye to my family. I was sure I was going to die. I could mumble, but I couldn't form words. I could hear it in my head, but I couldn't get it to come out.'' Her message to women: "We need to get regular check-ups and know the warning signs so that we can continue to be the amazing women we are for many years to come."

Stroke Warning Signs

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
  
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
  
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
  
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

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The heart is a very forgiving organ. By not smoking, avoiding fried foods and starting an exercise program women can add years to their lives. Here's a great place for more information:
http://www.goredforwomen.org/index.aspx

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND!