Jones underwent bypass surgery immediately after the diagnosis and was forever changed as a result. She said although she was shocked at the sudden turn in her health, she shouldn’t have been.
“What people don’t realize is that just because you’re not sick, doesn’t mean you’re healthy,” she said.
After a family history littered with heart problems, she knew she had to make some changes in order to live the life she wanted. She also realized she needed to spread the word to other women as well.
“After my bypass experience, I immediately contacted the American Heart Association to join forces and raise awareness of this issue,” she said. “The lives of so many women depend on it.”
Women like Darlene Love, another Go Red For Women spokesperson who had a scary brush with heart failure as well.
In 2012, the accomplished singer had a painful stomachache moments before going onstage. Being a consummate professional, she still performed.
“Even though the pain was unlike anything I ever felt, I didn’t think it was serious enough to be concerned about,” Darlene said.
However, her husband thought otherwise and immediately drove her to the hospital. That’s when she was told that she suffered a heart attack while onstage.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I always pictured a heart attack happening the way we all do: a white man, dramatically holding his left arm and chest.”
According to the American Heart Association, there are many misconceptions about heart disease.
“There are several misconceptions about heart disease in women, and they could be putting you at risk. The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Go Red For Women movement advocates for more research and swifter action for women’s heart health for this very reason,” their website reads.
The Go Red for Women movement encourages women to take charge of their health by utilizing the resources that they provide right at our fingertips.