When my mom, Jennifer Maxwell, had her first heart attack, I was 17 years old, a junior in high school. There were no warning signs, no dramatic lead up. One moment everything felt normal, and the next, our world shifted. Watching my mom fight for answers, for care, and ultimately for her life was terrifying. At that age, you do not expect to confront the fragility of the people you depend on most. That experience stayed with me and changed me.
Seeing my mom go through multiple heart attacks, and learning how often women’s symptoms are dismissed or misunderstood, made me deeply aware of how vulnerable women can be when it comes to heart health. It pushed me to become more active, more health conscious, and more intentional about listening to my body. But more than that, it showed me how critical advocacy, education, and research are, especially for women who do not fit the typical heart disease profile.
This cause is incredibly personal to me. I am so proud of my mom for using her story to raise awareness and fight for better outcomes for other women. Supporting the American Heart Association’s Woman of Impact Campaign means supporting families like ours, daughters, sons, partners, and loved ones who just want more time with the people they love.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting this campaign, for standing with my mom, and for helping ensure that more women are seen, heard, and saved.
The time is now. Are you with me? To support my campaign, click txhe Donate button.
Thank you.
xoxo, Colbi