FH Family Story – Natalia
I am a 26-year-old dance instructor, and I have FH. I am not the face most people see when they think of heart disease, but I want that to change. I want people to see the face of an active adult who eats healthy and wants to live. I want them to know I’m beating the odds every day and still doing the things I love.
My FH has never stopped me from teaching dance, running my studio’s competition team, and leading a normal life. When Richmond held its very own Heart Walk, they asked my competitive dance team, Team Talia, to perform as the participants were warming up. This was a great opportunity to promote physical activity and raise awareness of FH. Most of the people at the event had never even heard of it! We exchanged information with so many others on the topic of heart disease and stroke prevention. It was great to learn so much potentially lifesaving information!
It’s during events like this that I know we’re making a difference. We’re sharing ideas and educating one another while raising money for a great cause. We’re pushing ourselves as a society to learn more and, in doing so; we’re refusing to accept what we’ve always thought about heart disease. It means I can live a different life than the one the doctors predicted only a year ago. It means I don’t have to be afraid of the unknown. Bad things happen everyday, and there’s nothing we can do about it. But what if we could? I know that together we can make a start. Together, we can make healthier, longer lives possible for everyone.
