In October 2024 I had open heart surgery to replace my bicuspid aortic valve, a congenital heart defect I'd been monitoring for decades. This procedure has given me the chance to continue living a long, normal, healthy life. Procedures like the one that fixed my heart, and others like it, are possible because of the research that the American Heart Association helps fund.
It's not just the development of complex surgical procedures that needs funding. 9 out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. In most of those cases, bystander CPR was not performed. But we can change this.
Cardiac arrests happen at work, in homes, on athletic fields and in neighborhoods everywhere, and the readiness of our community can be the difference between life and death.
It's time to unite, take action, and save lives. Every dollar donated, means more people trained in lifesaving CPR, more research and more lifesaving moments for everyone. Together, we can turn bystanders into lifesavers.
I'm walking in the Bay Area Heart Walk this September to save lives. Help me reach my goal today.
