The broad reach of heart disease and stroke affects countless lives --directly and indirectly – and leads to many stories of hope, survival, loss, endurance, and inspiration. Whether survivor, caregiver, friend, or family membe, everyone has a personal reason for taking part in this charitable pursuit.

One family, the Reilly’s from Montgomery County, was there to remember and celebrate the life of Maryellen Reilly, former VP of Clinical and Administrative Operations at HUP, who passed away suddenly from a heart attack in the summer of 2011.

“Our family walked this year to honor our amazing mother,” said Maryellen’s daughter Laura Hussa, BSN, RN, a nurse with the Staffing for All Seasons Nursing Resource Team at HUP. “She touched so many lives and was so supportive of all who knew her.”

Maryellen’s family hopes that people will remember their mother for her kind heart and amazing dedication to UPHS, but they also hope others will consider their own heart health in light of her passing.

“In her honor, we will work to prevent this from happening to others, in whatever way we can,” said Colleen Reilly, RN, BSN, BSIS, a nurse in HUP’s  Cardiology Electrophysiology Lab. “My mom had zero past medical history of heart disease, hypertension, or coronary artery disease. We had no warning signs and then in an instant she was gone.”

“Maryellen is missed, but her sudden death can serve as a valuable reminder to all of us to be more aware of our own healh and not take it for granted,” said Garry Scheib, HUP’s executive director. 

Recognizing Symptoms and Reducing Risk

Heart disease kills more people in the U.S. than all forms of cancer combined. And, although heart disease is often thought of as a problem for men, more women than men die of heart disease each year.  “These figures are shocking,” said Laura. “This disease can be sudden and devastating. Everyone needs to be proactive in knowing their own risk and taking the proper precautions to prevent an unnecessary shortened life.”

One challenge is that the heart disease symptoms in women can be different from symptoms in men.  Surprisingly, fewer than 30 percent of women reported having chest pain or discomfort prior to their heart attacks, and 43 percent have no chest pain during any phase of the attack. Instead, many women experience sudden onset of extreme weakness that feels like the flu. Other common symptoms that women might face include unusual fatigue, sleep disturbance, and shortness of breath.

Fortunately, women can take steps to understand their unique symptoms of heart disease and to begin to reduce their risk. Several lifestyle changes can help women reduce the risk of heart disease:

• Exercise 30 to 60 minutes daily on most days of the week.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Quit or don't start smoking.
• Eat a diet that's low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.  
• Schedule regular check-ups with a primary care doctor or cardiologist to monitor your heart health.

Laura and Colleen say family members are now taking their own cardiovascular health very seriously. They are being followed at Penn Medicine’s Preventative Cardiology program, led by Emil deGoma, MD. The Preventive Cardiovascular Program is designed to prevent the onset, recurrence, and progression of heart and vascular disease using medications and lifestyle changes tailored to maximize efficacy and minimize side effects. Its multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses and dietitians provide preventive care, utilizing the latest technologies to develop personalized cardiovascular risk assessment and effective approaches for the management of cardiovascular risk factors.

“We won't risk losing another member of our family from this devastating disease,” Laura said.

“If our story can help even one person to get to the doctor and get checked, then we have done something. Hopefully others will follow,” said Colleen.