September 1, 2010
Dear Friend of the Texas Heart Institute,
More than 41 million American women are living with cardiovascular disease. Yes, 41 million! More than 600,000 of them in Texas.
Young Salina Gonzales Rivera of San Antonio is one of them.
A few years ago, as a kindergarten teacher and a single mother of an 18-month-old, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and was told she had just weeks to live. However, after treatment here with a heart-assist device developed largely at the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, she is now well enough to have had the device removed. In fact, she got married this summer.
I think you will find her story – in her own words – very compelling. You can read it at www.texasheart.org/women.
Over the next few weeks, other women will share their equally moving stories “with heart” on our website as we prepare to launch the new Center for Women’s Heart & Vascular Health. These women’s stories, and so many others, are testimony to the urgent need for such a center.
Directed by a gifted and committed cardiologist, Dr. Stephanie Coulter, the Center will focus on women-specific research, prevention and education. You’ll be hearing more detail as the launch approaches in early October.
As I pointed out before, there are at least 41 million reasons why this is important. For each of us, and for the significant women in our lives, nothing could be more important.
I hope you’ll read Salina’s story and the others over the coming weeks and share them with family and friends – and stay tuned for more exciting news about the Texas Heart Institute’s Center for Women’s Heart & Vascular Health.
Respectfully,
James T. Willerson, MD
President and Medical Director
Contact Dr. Willerson
Read the previous issues of Heart to Heart in the archives.
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