Meet Dr. Toniya Farmer — A Heart That Refused to Quit
There are moments that change your life.
For our cousin, Dr. Toniya Farmer, it happened on a busy Atlanta highway.
What started as what she thought was heartburn quickly became crushing chest pain, jaw pain, and difficulty breathing. Still on the phone with her mother, she made the life-saving decision to trust her body and drive herself toward the nearest hospital. Minutes later, she coded in the emergency room. Her heart stopped.
She was shocked twice by an AED. Placed on life support. Later diagnosed with SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection) — a condition many women have never even heard of.
She survived.
But survival was only the beginning.
After weeks in the hospital, an ICD implant, months of recovery, and cardiac rehabilitation, Toniya returned to her calling as a physical therapist — stronger, bolder, and more determined than ever. She has since lost nearly 60 pounds, become a Heart Walk Coach leading dozens in the fight against heart disease, and founded GOD’s Girl Divine Heart, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to CPR/AED awareness and women’s heart health advocacy.
Her mission is personal. Being misdiagnosed nearly cost her life. She has lost family members to heart disease. She refuses to let other women be dismissed, unheard, or unprepared.
Today, as an American Heart Association Women of Impact nominee, Toniya is turning her testimony into transformation.
This campaign is about more than wearing red.
It’s about funding lifesaving research.
It’s about expanding CPR and AED access.
It’s about ensuring women are believed when they say something is wrong.
Our cousin’s heart stopped — but her purpose started.
If her story moved you, I invite you to stand with her.
Donate today. Help us protect every heartbeat.