My name is Nikitha, and I am a high school junior and the current Miss Teen Watermelon Street Fair from Manteca. I'm working with the American Heart Association to raise money and awareness, and this cause is really personal to me.
I've always wanted to go into the healthcare field from a young age, to help others, but for a long time, I wasn't taking care of my own health. I've been to the ER more times than I'd like to admit, and I've faced a lot of ups and downs with my body. One of the biggest challenges has been living with anemia, caused by a severe iron deficiency.
Anemia affects my everyday life more than most people realize. The fatigue, the dizziness, etc., it's frustrating, and sometimes it feels like no one really understands how exhausting it is. But what hit me recently is that anemia isn't just about being tired. If left unmanaged, it can actually lead to heart failure. That shook me.
For that reason, I wanted to do something to raise awareness about not just heart disease, but about staying healthy in order to avoid it at all costs. Even though many people aren't diagnosed, they could still be at risk. Eduction is prevention, in my opinion. I want to raise money for the American Heart Association, since they have the ability to research and spread awareness to a wider community. I also want to walk for my own future, along with so many other teenagers who suffer from iron deficiency. It's very common in the Indian community, especially with girls my age.
I have begun taking supplements, staying active, and trying to fix this situation. I want to spread this to everyone, how it's needed to fix your habits in order to live a healthy life. It's not easy, but fully necessary. Knowing just how many Americans suffer from heart disease made me want to speak up and fix it, at least in our community.
I've set a personal goal to raise $1,000 for the AHA. If you're able to, please consider donating $25 or more. Your support can help fund life-saving research, education, and prevention efforts that impact real lives, including mine.
