“Women’s heart attack symptoms are less well known than men’s, so I never would have guessed I was likely to have one. We have the power to save more lives.”
— Natasha Joseph who underwent open-heart surgery at the CHUM after a heart attack
Difficult-to-recognize symptoms
One in two: that’s how many women whose heart attack warning signs go unnoticed. Natasha, mother of two and in her forties, was one of them. It was in July 2023 when the CHUM entered her life after she began experiencing sudden, horrible stomach and back pain.
Natasha initially assumes her symptoms are related to irritable bowel syndrome and brushes them off. But after two weeks, the pain becomes unbearable. Deeply concerned, her son calls 911 to get her an ambulance.
A heart attack that changes her everyday life
Once at the CHUM, Natasha is diagnosed with a heart attack. Having no family history of heart disease, she is in complete shock. She quickly undergoes open-heart surgery. To save her life, CHUM specialists must temporarily stop her heart and clear three blocked arteries—a procedure that ultimately saves her life.
“When I realized how serious the situation was, I was afraid I wouldn’t make it. I was terrified I wouldn’t be there for my two children, especially as a single mother.”
After a two-week stay in the hospital, Natasha was excited to return home to continue her recovery. Unfortunately, she developed a postoperative infection that complicated her recovery.
“When the paramedics came to my door the second time, I immediately asked to be taken to the CHUM, even though another hospital was closer. I was certain that I would get the best care at the CHUM.”
Natasha is hospitalized again and spends nearly a month at the CHUM. For someone who was used to taking care of others, being a patient was a real challenge. The pain, the needles, the loss of privacy… she felt completely helpless. Yet this experience helped her realize just how precious good health is.
Today, Natasha is doing better and continues to receive care at the CHUM. She is followed at the CHUM’s CardioF Center of Expertise, made possible through your generosity. Quebec’s first centre of expertise in women’s cardiovascular health brings together an experienced interdisciplinary team focused on research and cardiac care tailored to women. The team is dedicated to protecting the hearts of patients like Natasha. Given that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women in North America, this work is essential.
“I chose to get involved with the CHUM Foundation because I want to encourage other women to take care of themselves. Don’t make the same mistake I did. As a single mother and a member of the Haitian community, I put everyone else’s needs before my own and ignored the warning signs my body was sending me.”
To better prevent, diagnose and treat diseases for patients like Natasha, we need to rethink our approaches. This goal is what motivates our teams at the CHUM, who are more determined than ever to act faster than disease.