The Boomer Daily
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Profiles - Your Stories
 Mellanie True Hills - Building An Atrial Fibrillation Community
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1) What do you believe makes you special or interesting? I'm irrepressible, and I hold the belief that one person can change the world, and it might as well be me.
2) What kind of effect have you had, or would like to have on the world?
As a result of almost dying in emergency heart surgery, and then almost having a stroke, I now spend my life trying to save lives.
When I had my heart incident, I discovered that heart disease was the #1 killer of women, but that most women didn't know that. No one was talking about it at the time, so I figured someone needed to and it might as well be me. That led to my focus on women's heart health.
Having developed atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heartbeat and a leading cause of stroke, I learned how terrifying it is. After finding a cure that worked for me, I couldn't just watch others suffer. I set out to help others with it by creating a web site, www.StopAfib.org, for patients and their families. We are building an atrial fibrillation community.
My goals are to impact the lives of 5 million women with my women's heart health message, and to help wipe out strokes caused by atrial fibrillation.
3) What events shaped or changed your life?
My life was shaped by my parents - my mother for her work ethic and ability to accomplish her goals and dreams, and my daddy for his values of honesty and integrity along with his conviction that one person can change the world.
Almost dying taught me to cherish every day and to focus on making a difference with what time I have left.
4) Did you overcome obstacles - take risks - get lucky?
Early in my career, I learned that "risk is the price you pay for opportunity", so I was very willing to take career risks. Of course I was very lucky as well, but luck is when opportunity meets preparedness.
More recently, overcoming death and a near stroke has shaped my current destiny.
5) What have you done that no one would guess you'd done upon first meeting you?
Simplified life by moving to a farm.
6) What is still left to be done in your life?I'm just getting started - I intend to live to be 100 and am only slightly more than halfway there. That should give me time to raise awareness of atrial fibrillation, help wipe out strokes caused by afib, and improve the quality of life for those struggling with this debilitating condition. And while I'm at it, to help women avoid what I've been through by saving themselves from heart disease.
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