WEAR RED DAY
Why we’re going red for women
Raising awareness of heart disease is critical to saving lives, writes our president
Caribbean Life, Feb. 1–7, 2019 3
At 2-years-old, New
Yorker Tabitha Ellis
was required to wear a
face mask over her nose and
mouth for 15 to 20 minutes —
three times a day — in order
for medicine and water vapor
to fl ow through her compromised
body.
The treatment often required
her to plug medical
equipment into an outlet wherever
her family was when it
was time to put the mask back
on, according to her dad, who
said he had little choice but
to force his daughter to stick
with the schedule.
“It’s amazing the strength
of a kid who doesn’t want
that,” said Todd Ellis.
Eight in 1,000 babies are
born with a heart defect, but
some of those conditions heal
on their own, or aren’t problematic.
Ellis was not among
those lucky children whose issues
resolved naturally, however.
A hole between her two
main heart chambers never
closed, causing a myriad of
health problems — and logistical
issues.
Her family lived on a military
base and moved every 10
months to three years. They
couldn’t fi nd a childcare center
that would take their
daughter and her breathing
machine, so her mother quit
working to care for the girl
full time.
Cardiologists monitored
her frequently, as she struggled
to grow. At around age 2,
doctors noticed a problem in
a V-shaped part of the aorta
known as the aortic arch.
There was an aneurysm, a
weakening in her artery that
caused it to bulge, likely due
to her heart working harder
than usual to pump blood.
Doctors in Texas eventually
performed a surgery that
patched the hole, and they also
replaced a heart valve leading
to her lungs that had been
leaking.
Ellis came out of that operation
a new person. The
quiet girl, who once had little
energy, couldn’t stop talking.
She was active and playful.
But as great as she felt, her
life after the surgery presented
new challenges. Doctors said
she was still fragile, she tired
more easily than other kids,
and she had to be careful not
to get hit in the chest.
“I remember not being
able to play outside or have
recess,” Ellis said. “I couldn’t
do all the stuff that other kids
could do.”
Still, freed from the shackles
of their daughter’s breathing
machine, the Ellis family
began living a more normal
life, including hiking and
camping. Sometimes their girl
tired and her dad had to carry
her on his shoulders, but
that was a trade-off he gladly
made.
Doctors fi nally loosened
the reins in high school, clearing
Ellis for normal activities
unless she experienced problems.
And that clearance was
all it took for her to make drastic
changes in her life.
She joined her school’s
cheerleading team as its fl ier
— the person on top of the pyramid
who gets thrown in the
air. She swam competitively for
four years, and she ran track
for two years, before realizing
that her decreased stamina
held her back. She joined the
boys’ lacrosse team, winning
the coach’s award for her attitude
and effort.
All was going well — until
her senior year.
While watching a movie in
psychology class, Ellis noticed
tingling in her arm. Soon, it
extended down the side of her
body. She suddenly felt she
couldn’t move, like a boulder
weighed her down, and she
couldn’t talk. The sensation
felt like it lasted for hours, but
it was only a few minutes, she
recalled.
When Ellis sought treatment
at the hospital, all indications
were that she probably
had a mini stroke. But
tests showed no evidence of
one. There was nothing for the
doctors to do but advise her to
watch for future symptoms.
— American Heart Association
Heart of a champion
A New Yorker shares how she didn’t let a childhood
cardiac defect stop her from achieving her dreams
SURVIVOR: Ellis had surgery to correct an aneurysm and leaky heart
valve at just 2-years-old. Tabitha Ellis
We are proud to present
a unique way to call
attention to what is
known as the “silent killer.”
One in three deaths among
women in the United States
each year is a direct result
of heart disease. This killer
delivers a fatal blow to more
women in this country than
all cancers combined, according
to the American Heart Association.
The situation calls for everyone
to be alert, which is
why the American Heart Association
designated the fi rst
Friday of February as “Go Red
For Women Day.” It’s also why
we’re “going red” — as we seek
to make everyone aware of the
dangers of heart disease, and
the importance of paying attention
to our bodies.
Why red? It’s not just because
our blood is red. The
color is often associated with
power, passion, determination,
strength, love — all qualities
that we need in order to protect
ourselves and our loved ones
from the “silent killer.”
Heart disease should be a
personal issue for us all. We
all know someone in our lives
who lives with the complications
day in and day out. But
many others have the symptoms
of heart disease and do
not know it.
Last year, Jennifer Goodstein,
former publisher of this
newspaper, wrote about her
diagnosis with hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic
disease that causes the
thickening and scarring of
heart muscle. She had to undergo
open heart surgery to
have it treated.
Like so many others, Jennifer
lived a very healthy life
before her diagnosis — exercised
regularly, never smoked,
no major illnesses.
Jennifer sought help from a
cardiologist at NYU Langone,
Dr. Mark Sherrid, who reassured
her that the condition
is “highly treatable” as long
as it’s “recognized and treated
appropriately.”
Awareness is so critical
toward stopping the “silent
killer” from striking you or
someone you love. Heart disease
has many symptoms
— shortness of breath, sudden
fatigue, dizziness upon
standing, even indigestion.
If you or a loved one experiences
any of these symptoms
frequently, seek medical
help immediately!
Make sure you visit your
doctor at least once a year for a
physical. If your doctor refers
you to a cardiologist for additional
tests, follow through
and get checked out. If you’re
prescribed medication to treat
your ailments, take your doses
as required.
Above all, take care of yourself.
Eat right. Exercise regularly.
Don’t sit at your desk or
on your couch all day; every
so often, get up and move your
legs and feet. Avoid smoking
— and if you’re a smoker, fi nd
a way to kick the habit.
You only have one life —
live it to the fullest and the
healthiest!
— Victoria Schneps-Yunis