RADFORD, Va. (WDBJ) – Heart disease affects millions of women across the country, but many struggle to find the emotional support and resources they need.

Lucinda McDermott knows firsthand the struggles that come with heart disease. Her journey began in 2018, during a visit to a friend in the medical field.

“She was listening to my heart and she kind of looked at me and said, ‘Did any doctor tell you that you have a heart murmur?’ and I said everyone has a heart murmur. Throw a stick, you can hit somebody with a heart murmur, and she said, yours is really cool,” McDermott said.

That moment led to months of tests and eventually open heart surgery. McDermott said the heart valve replacement was life-changing. And she found herself without the emotional support needed to cope with her new reality.

“I felt alone. My identity completely changed, my sense of myself, my vitality, and there was no sense of support, emotionally, really,” McDermott said.

After six years of feeling stable, in April of this year, McDermott started having a fast heartbeat. Her doctors confirmed a severely leaking tricuspid valve, news that left her frustrated and disappointed. Multiple visits to multiple doctors left her feeling rejected and unheard. That’s when she discovered WomenHeart training for community heart disease champions.

“During this time I realized I had become a fierce advocate for myself and that led me to found WomenHeart because I had no support. I asked, is there any kind of emotional support here in VNR? Not. How about Roanoke? Not. The closest one is in Tidewater,” McDermott said.

She joined 74 other women from diverse backgrounds at the Mayo Clinic for four days of intensive training. Now a certified WomenHeart Champion, she works to support women in her community through outreach, education and advocacy.

“You start by saying, why me? and then I conclude by saying, why not me? And how can I help other women,” McDermott said.

Her message is clear: listen to your body, don’t take no for an answer, and don’t ignore the warning signs.

“You have to carry the ball and you have to listen to your gut. If you think something is wrong, believe it. If you are not listened to, if you feel dismissed, find a new doctor. Don’t stop and don’t feel discouraged, because I’m here, and my goal is not to be the only person supporting it, but to spread it like a good virus,” McDermott said.

For more information about WomenHeart of the New River Valley, contact Lucinda McDermott Piro at [email protected].

More information about WomenHeart Here.

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