My dad and I were born with one of the most common congenital heart defects, a bicuspid aortic valve (the valve has two leaflets instead of three). We both had our valves replaced with mechanical heart valves, my dad at 35 and myself at 46 (I also had an aortic aneurysm repair). Unfortunately, my dad passed away 18 years ago from an aortic dissection. This year I am walking both in memory of my dad and as a survivor.
The American Heart Association supports people with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) and aortic aneurysms by providing easy-to-understand resources like symptom trackers, surgery checklists, and educational guides to help patients manage their condition and communicate with their care team. The AHA also develops clinical guidelines that set standards for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. In addition, the AHA emphasizes early detection through screening of first-degree relatives, aiming to catch risks before serious complications occur.
My fundraising is to help support this work as well as the AHA's focus of building longer, healthier lives by fighting heart disease and stroke.
I Walk to Save Lives. Please help me reach my goal today.