North Branch Woman Suffering From Heart Failure Gets Needed Transplant
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease.
Every year in the U.S., heart disease leads to one in four deaths. Medical research has enabled doctors to be more successful treating conditions like heart failure.
On Thursday, a North Branch woman shared her battle, which ultimately led to a life-saving heart transplant.
"I was born with it and it didn't affect my life until I was 26," said Heather Peterson.
She is now 33 and reflecting on how she survived two genetic disorders that cause heart failure.
She was active as a teenager and into her 20s. She had no idea there was a problem with her heart, until she went for a run one day. Her heart continued racing even when she was fully rested.
"I was still feeling like I was still sprinting for a long period of time. Like your heart is just pounding out of your chest," she said.
Tests revealed Heather had heart failure, meaning her heart wasn't pumping as efficiently as it should and over time, causing damage. After years of treatment, she would need new heart to survive.
Five months ago, Heather had a heart transplant.
"The recovery process is a third of what it was. Yeah, faster. Transplant success rate for someone my age and for being healthy is like 90 percent, so I was really excited to know I was in good hands," she said.
Heather is now a volunteer with the American Heart Association and credits it with helping fund the research that allowed her doctors to save her life. But she still sees a need for more heart disease awareness.
"Especially with women's symptoms, they are so different than men's symptoms. That just letting everyone know it doesn't have to be the pain down the arm. It can just be anxiety or shortness of breath," Heather said.
In Minnesota last year, there were 75 heart transplants. And about 11,000 Minnesotans are hospitalized each year due to heart failure.
Heather Peterson is taking part in the upcoming fundraiser for the American Heart Association. She's walking the runway in the Minnesota Red Dress Collection fashion show on March 3 at the Loew's Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.
