Utah women raise awareness about heart health through personal stories, quilting

SALT LAKE CITY — At 21 years old, Chloe Harmer has spent much of her life keeping a close eye on her heart.

Just six weeks after she was born, Harmer underwent her first open-heart surgery to repair holes in her heart.

Nearly two decades later, another heart problem began taking a toll.

"I was tired doing more easy activities, and I would get some stabbing feeling sometimes in my chest or some pain," Harmer said.

At 19, she underwent her second open-heart surgery to address an obstruction affecting blood flow from her heart and repair her aortic valve.

Today, Harmer is studying nursing at BYU and is back to doing what she loves — running, hiking and skiing.

"It really can affect anyone," she said.

Women should focus on heart health at every age

While Harmer was born with a heart condition, doctors say women's cardiovascular health deserves greater attention at every age.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in the United States.

"It's important for women to pay attention to their heart and vascular health because nobody else does," said Dr. John Doty, a cardiac surgeon at Intermountain Health.

Doty said the medical profession has historically focused more on heart disease in men.

While many risk factors are the same for men and women, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and family history, the warning signs can sometimes look different.

"Women may present a little bit differently. The pain may be in the arm or the neck, or it may be in the stomach," he said.

Other warning signs can include chest pain, shortness of breath, unusual fatigue or a noticeable decline in exercise tolerance.

Doty encouraged women to pay attention to changes in their health, stay physically active and talk with their doctor about any concerning symptoms.

"It's just a great time that we're finally getting the focus on women's heart health," he said.

Quilting for a cause

A group of local women is doing its part to raise awareness about women's heart health — one stitch at a time.

For months, they have been putting their time and talents to work, creating handmade quilts to support the cause.

More than 80 quilts will be auctioned off during the upcoming Holiday Quilt Show, with proceeds supporting Intermountain Health's Women's Heart and Vascular Program.

"Many of us have family members who have been affected, or we ourselves have been affected by women's heart health," said Judy Reese, chair of the Holiday Quilt Show and Auction.

For Harmer, who knows firsthand the importance of heart health, the message is simple.

"Don't take your health for granted and take care of your heart," she said.

The Holiday Quilt Show runs Nov. 10-12 at the Show Barn at Thanksgiving Point, with the dinner and auction taking place on the final night.