Jenny’s Lp(a) Story
I thought it was a panic attack. In fairness, I was only 41. A nonsmoker. A longtime vegetarian with good cholesterol numbers. As physically active as I could be while working a full-time job and wrangling a toddler.
But what happened in October 2019 wasn’t a panic attack. It … Read More →
Can’t Argue with Those Results
Like so many people with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), Dawn Tvrdy always knew high cholesterol ran in her family, but she didn’t have a name for it. Much of her father’s family had suffered fatal heart attacks before they turned 50. “I always tried … Read More →
6 Tips from an HoFH Grandma
Some people look up to Captain America. Some people idolize Batman. Aletha’s superhero is her 11-year-old- granddaughter, Aubree. “As an adult, I struggle with what that child has to do every two weeks,” Aletha says, “I really doubt I would handle it as well as … Read More →
My life after a heart attack has been hard, but I’m grateful to be here to talk about it. I discovered more perseverance than I knew I had.
I was only 24. I was in the process of planning my wedding and excited about my future. Until one day, I had tightness in my chest and general discomfort. I … Read More →
The First in Line for Every Cholesterol-Lowering Treatment
Stacey has known she had familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) since she was a child. “My dad had his first heart attack when he was 36,” she says. “And at that time, his cholesterol was so high the doctors couldn’t measure it.”
They … Read More →
The Journey to Accepting My FH Diagnosis
“We lost her unexpectedly. From the outside, she had no indication something was wrong.” Charlotte was only 17 when her mother passed away from a heart attack. “She was so petite,” Charlotte explains, “and she lived a very stress-free life. She was … Read More →
For Seven Years I Thought I had a Perfectly Healthy Child
When Jessica’s father died of a heart attack at the young age of 54, she didn’t know the reason could be genetic. “He was a stubborn man who never went to the doctor,” explains Jessica. But when the doctors told her that her total cholesterol … Read More →
You’re the Only One Who Will Speak Up for Your Child
Betty Jo’s husband went on cholesterol-lowering treatment when he was in his thirties. “It was the usual ‘high cholesterol runs in the family’ story,” she explains. The two got married, started having children, and lived their lives.
Their … Read More →
I Listened to the Lessons of My Mother
Fern’s family tree looks like most of ours – full of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. But her tree is also full of extremely early heart disease.
Like many people with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and high lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), Fern’s … Read More →
“We’ll See You in Ten Years” – I Didn’t Like That Answer
Tom’s story starts out like many Family Heart Foundation Advocates. “My family has always had high cholesterol,” he explains, “but we never put a name to it.”
Once he secured a job with good health insurance, Tom and his wife … Read More →
