In the hustle and bustle of life, the importance of heart health is often overlooked. But Dr. Ed Hickey and Houston native Katherine Armstrong are a powerful reminder of why prioritizing heart health should be at the forefront of our minds.

Dr. Hickey, an experienced cardiologist and surgeon with the Texas Children’s Adult Congenital Heart Program, spoke to us about congenital heart disease (CHD), especially how about half of cases are not genetic at all. .upon houston life, Dr. Hickey emphasized advances in heart care, the importance of early detection, and the role of lifestyle modifications in promoting heart health. He said patients fall into two categories. The first are children who were diagnosed with CHD at an early age and grew up with CHD. The second group are adults who didn’t think anything was wrong until they started experiencing symptoms.

Katherine Armstrong, a mother of two, falls into the latter category. She has overcome the challenges of living with congenital heart disease on her own since 2019. But she’s not new to the diagnosis.

Her oldest daughter, Hudson, was born in 2016 with a 22mm atrial septal defect in her heart. ASD occurs when there is a hole in the heart that divides the upper chambers of the heart. It was repaired and Hudson is now 8 years old and is thriving.

Armstrong’s second daughter, Holland, was born two years later. The Armstrongs made sure to get her tested before she was discharged from the hospital. She also has ASD and will have it repaired later this year.

In 2019, Armstrong woke up with brain fog and blurry vision. During her ER visit, she was told she had anxiety and she was sent home. The same thing happened to her three more times that year until she herself was diagnosed with her ASD.

Her ASD was repaired and she now works for the American Congenital Heart Association as a patient and heart health advocate. She supports her efforts to raise awareness about heart disease and participates in events such as the American Congenital Heart Association’s Walk to 1/100. You can still apply for walks in April.

You can sign up to join the 1 in 100 inner warriors and supporters who will be attending the ACHA Walk in Houston here.