CINCINNATI (WKRC) – A young mother who recently suffered a heart attack is now encouraging others to take care of their hearts.

Tierra Wade says she’s been healing her body, mind and spirit lately.

Last summer, at just 32 years old, she suffered a heart attack. She credits two major factors for her healing: a strong medical team and her faith.

“In July of this year, I woke up. I was getting my kids ready for school and I started having severe heartburn and a pain in my chest. And before I knew it, God… I felt like I was told, ‘You have to go to the hospital,”’ Wade said.

A cardiac surgeon at Christ Hospital soon opened the clogged blood vessel, likely saving Wade’s life.

“Heart attacks happen in young women. We often think of heart attacks as something that happened to grandmothers or when we got older,” says Dr. Odeime Quesada, medical director of the Women’s Heart Center at Christ Hospital. .

As Wade learned, heart attacks at a young age are often associated with a person’s family history.

“I have an identical twin sister, and she went for genetic testing and her levels were through the roof, just like mine, and she was at risk. As a family, we now know early on what our risk factors are so we can choose a different path,” Wade said.

She does outreach work at Crossroads Church. She also said this Easter weekend reminded her of the peace she has had since the day she needed emergency heart treatment.

“I knew God was going to save me. I knew I wasn’t going to die, and I felt at peace that everything was going to be okay. When things were still tough, I had a catheter. I tend to go back to the room. Imagine Jesus being in the operating room, kind of making all the decisions. And I can’t explain that peace, but I know that Jesus is there. “I know that I was there and I know that Jesus saved me because I still have a bigger purpose to do in this world,” Wade said.

She said her aim now is to encourage other women to seek early intervention for their heart health and to seek support from family, friends and faith if needed.

“Since my heart attack, God has created oxygen, love, light, and a path for Himself so that I can truly understand my worth. Please help me use it, and help me tell my life to other people, which I haven’t done before,” Wade said.

She said the resulting stress reduction is another important step in heart health.