By Lauren Pino, congenital heart defect survivor.
At the age of 24, I was diagnosed with an enlarged heart due to an undiagnosed and untreated congenital heart defect. The heart murmur I had since I was young turned out to be much more than I ever thought. Just one month before my wedding, I underwent a transcatheter occlusion procedure that closed the hole in my heart.
It’s estimated that about 1.4 million adults in the U.S. are living with a congenital heart defect and cardiovascular disease kills one woman about every 80 seconds. It is the leading cause of death in women. The American Heart Association’s Manchester Go Red for Women Luncheon is striving to educate women to save the lives of our mothers, sisters, and friends.
The American Heart Association’s Manchester Go Red for Women Luncheon will be held on October 4 at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford, New Hampshire. Please join us for an event of inspiration and empowerment for women and the men who love them. Visit ManchesterGoRed.Heart.Org for more information.