A Heart Attack Survivor's story

National Wear Red Day is a massive public awareness day urging everyon to wear red and bring attention to a big killer for women: Heart Disease and stroke! We are thrilled to have a survivor share her story. The American Heart Association is full or resources and more! Kim Christenson, a local North Shore woman, suffered a major heart attack in September 2016. She had just finished up a training session with her friend, when she started to feel a burning in her chest and unimaginable pain in her neck, jaw and back. As the pain continued to worsen, she began to recognize that something was wrong and called 911. This is where her perfect chain of survival began. Because Kim did not hesitate one more second with calling 911, the paramedics came when they did. Because the paramedics are part of the American Heart Association’s Mission Lifeline program, they were able to use Kim’s EKG reading to alert the hospital that they needed to prepare a Cath lab for her. Because that Cath lab was ready upon arrival, doctors were able to determine that Kim was suffering from what is known as a widow maker’s heart attack: 100% blockage in the left descending artery and perform emergency surgery. Kim coded 6 times as doctors worked to place a stent in her artery, so she is forever grateful for the help and care that she received that day and for the perfect chain of survival that has given her the opportunity to share her story with other women.