WINTER 2017 CHARITY PARTNER
Thirty-six-year-old Amber Waller was playing in a soccer game when she suddenly went into cardiac arrest. Luckily, one of her teammates knew CPR, otherwise Amber would have died on that soccer field.
As a young woman who lived an active lifestyle, doctors assumed that it was impossible for her to have heart disease — yet anyone of any weight, shape, or size can be affected. It can also be passed on genetically, which was the case for Amber as her mother passed away four months prior to her cardiac arrest.
After learning she was incorrectly diagnosed, Amber cycled through a few doctors with persistence and a lot of self-advocacy. She eventually learned that she had heart disease — and that could ultimately lead to heart failure if not treated properly.
Amber now volunteers with the American Heart Association to raise awareness around heart disease. She shares her story to fight stereotypes and she speaks about the importance of CPR, which ultimately saved her life.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women and kills about one woman every 80 seconds, according to the AHA. Some of these are genetic (such as in Amber’s case), and some are preventable. In fact, 80% of cardiac events may be prevented with positive lifestyle changes. How can you prevent it?
Follow the AHA’s Life’s Simple 7:
- Eat better
- Get active
- Do not smoke
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage blood pressure
- Control cholesterol
- Reduce blood sugar
Not only that, Amber also said, “Trust your gut. If your heart’s beating funny and you know something is wrong, be persistent and keep getting checkups. If nothing shows up, find another doctor and get another opinion until you get answers. If you don’t, no one else will.
Be sure to follow Amber on Instagram @7minutereset to follow her journey.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
