Raising Awareness about American Heart Month

Heart disease is the number one killer for both women and men.

February marks American Heart Month.

The month is aimed to raise awareness about the problem.

Kim Lewis was diagnosed with heart failure at just 33-years-old.

“I was kind of in shock and really for the first 9 years of that I was really fighting for my life. It was very uncommon for women my age to have heart problems. I spent a lot of time in the hospital…a lot trips back and forth to the doctor.”

Lewis was a single mom with a full time job at the time.

She just recently turned 50 and she credits that milestone to the American Heart Association.

She has been volunteering with the organization for 8 years.

“I realized I needed to give back. that I was still here because of the research.”

Lewis is responsible for finding volunteers for the organization’s events, like the Heart Ball, coming up later this month.

This year’s theme is “Neverland” and it has a very important message behind it.

“Eventually we want somewhere where heart disease doesn’t exist. Our goal is to is to raise more funds for research and make us not the number killer and make more awareness happen. At every minute a woman dies from heart failure and as women, we neglect ourselves and we forget to check our symptoms.”

Six years ago Lewis said she got to marry the man of her dreams, but she wouldn’t walk down the aisle without him getting a checkup.

“Before I would agree to marry him I made him for the doctor with me. I said you need to know what this is about, you need to know what’s happened and at some point I’ll probably have to have transplant and you need to understand that.”

Kim said there are several ways you can protect yourself and make be aware of what happening to your body.

“Know your numbers. Go to your doctor, get your numbers and say where should my weight be, where should my blood pressure be?”

Last year, Chattanooga’s American Heart Association raised $350,000 dollars at the Heart Ball.

This year they’re looking to raise that number.

If you would like to become a volunteer or donate to the American Heart Association click here.