SAN ANTONIO – Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year, according to the American Heart Association.
For one San Antonio-area woman, her entire family has been dealing with heart health issues, from having to get valve replacements, to suffering strokes and open heart surgery.
And, that’s why Patricia Atiee says she wants other women to know more about heart disease and also to know the signs when things go wrong.
That is the goal for Atiee and the Vestido Rojo conference. This is the 18th year that Atiee has volunteered with the conference to get the word out.
“Since I was little, it’s been a part of my life,” Atiee said, talking about heart disease.
Her grandfather had several strokes before he passed away. Her father had a stroke that left him paralyzed, and then Patricia had to have open heart surgery at the age of 29.
“I came out, you know, strong and stronger than I ever knew that I was,” Atiee said. “So, I just tell women, hang in there, you know, it’s a tough, tough road.”
Patricia said she did everything she needed to do to become a survivor and because of her journey and because of her family history, Patricia and her sister were able to recognize the signs when their mother was having a stroke. Initially, Patricia thought their mother had food poisoning when she was vomiting, but then her mother told her she was dizzy.
“We decided to call an ambulance because we felt like she was having a stroke,” Atiee said. “And, we were right. We got her to the hospital, and, sure enough, she had a a big bleed on her brain, but she was a survivor.”
Atiee said her three sisters and two brothers all have heart health issues.
“It’s pretty much the whole family. We’ve all been affected by heart disease or stroke,” she said. “So, that’s why I like to give back. I want to help women, and I want them to know the importance of taking care of their heart.”
Atiee has been volunteering with the Vestido Rojo Conference, which works to raise awareness about heart disease.
“(There are) educational, sessions. We can take blood pressure, take weight and BMI, those are what we use to spot heart disease,” Carmen Pruneda, of the Vestido Rojo committee said. “It’s like a big family together, everybody enjoys it.”
Vestido Rojo is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 24 at the San Antonio Food Bank.