My biggest Heart Walk motivation will always be the memory of my amazing mom. But this year, the cause became even more personal.

Not long after this photo with Buddy was taken, I experienced an SVT episode while out for a walk in sunny Florida. My heart rate suddenly shot up to 208 beats per minute and stayed there. What began as an ordinary afternoon quickly turned into a ride in an ambulance, a trip to the emergency room, an overnight hospital stay, and a series of follow-up tests back in Boston.

The good news? Thanks to an incredible team of doctors, nurses, EMTs, and decades of advances in heart science, doctors were able to pinpoint the problem: an electrical issue in my heart. They recommended an ablation procedure, which I underwent earlier this spring. Today, I'm grateful to say that my heart is doing great and, as one doctor put it, "better than ever."

Until registering for this year's event I hadn't given any thought to now being a "survivor." In my mind, that word belonged to people who had endured something much more serious. But perhaps that's exactly the point! Every breakthrough, every treatment, and every life improved or saved is built on years of research and innovation. I'm convinced that the science supported by the American Heart Association played a role in making my diagnosis and treatment possible.

So while my mom remains at the heart of why I walk, I now carry an additional source of gratitude and motivation. The work of the American Heart Association has touched my health personally, and that puts an extra spring in my step as I raise funds with the Advocacy Walk Team.

Thank you for considering a donation and for supporting the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association. Whether you give, walk, or cheer us on from afar, I'm grateful to have you alongside me on this journey.

SIncerely,

Lori