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Many women ask if we offer a support group. We do provide psychosocial services, such as a certified psychologist, a cardiology case-worker, yoga classes, meditation and cardiac rehab, but the advocacy organization solely devoted to advocating for the 42 million American women living with or at risk for heart disease. Through WomenHeart, women heart patients find the latest information on women and heart disease, can locate in Rochester, Minn. Since 2002, more than 465 woman heart disease survivors from around the country have spent four rigorous days learning the science of heart disease and how to become community educators and advocates for women and heart disease. Women accepted for the program commit to returning to their local communities to educate other women about the importance of prevention, early detection, accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. Many of these WomenHeart Champions go on to receive additional training to run local peer-led patient support groups. “The partnership between the Women’s Heart Center in the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and WomenHeart has allowed us to reach many more women in our mission of improved heart health, education and research,” says Bairey Merz. Cedars-Sinai patients who have been accepted into this prestigious program through its competitive application process have quickly put their training in action. WomenHeart Champion Toshawa Andrews is a 35-year-old mother of three who has suffered seven MIs from an unknown etiology this year. Although she has a reduced ejection fraction, Andrews is Santa Barbara’s well known pinot noir wines and studies that have shown that moderate consumption of alcohol is beneficial, McCabe hosts these in-home events where women enjoy a glass of wine while listening to McCabe talk about the prevalence of heart disease in women, prevention techniques, and how to recognize the signs and symptoms. In addition to hosting “Pinot and Prevention” parties, McCabe is a WomenHeart support network coordinator and has advocated for the HEART for Women Act in Washington, D.C.
Most ACC members have heard of CardioSmart — in fact, you may have recommended CardioSmart.org to your patients as a great website for learning more about cardiovascular conditions. But CardioSmart is much more than just a website. CardioSmart is the term for ACC’s patient-centered activities, and it encompasses a number of efforts at outreach to our patients that the ACC is making on behalf of its members.