American Heart Association holds Go Red for Women experience at Acrisure Stadium
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The American Heart Association held its Go Red for Women experience at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday.
The fashion fundraiser brings together women, cardiologists and heart or stroke survivors to spread awareness and share experiences.
March 6, 2021, is a day that changed Tricia Silianos' life forever. She was at home doing laundry with her three sons when she felt a pain in her chest. She lost her speech and everything around her started moving in slow motion.
"My boys were all at home and I just said I need you to take me to the doctor," she said. "I didn't even think of calling 911, which is what you should do."
"I drove her to the Cranberry EMS and she got out of the car and EMS took her from there," her son, Nick Siliano, said.
She was taken to UPMC Passavant where the worst case scenario happened. She was diagnosed with a SCAD heart attack, which happens when a tear forms in a blood vessel or the heart.
She is now back to teaching her second-grade students and receives continued heart care. The heart attack she had impacts mainly healthy and active women. But according to the CDC, one in five women in the U.S. will die from heart disease.
Doctor Katie Berlacher told KDKA-TV you can limit your risk.
"If you live the optimal life, meaning you're not smoking, you control your blood pressure, you're eating a good diet, you're exercising regularly, you actually decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease by 70 percent," Berlacher said.
Silino spent the past eight to nine weeks fundraising for the American Heart Association. She raised more than $13,000, which is why the Woman of Impact Award on Thursday night.