HonorHealth women’s group spearheads vital information about heart health
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
What if I told you heart disease is the No. 1 killer of all women in United States of America? Would you believe me?
“The mortality rate surpasses cancer and lung disease combined,” said Mia Chorney at HonorHealth Scottsdale Cardiology. “One woman is dying every 80 seconds from a cardiac event — these are stunning statistics. The biggest thing is everyone thinks cancer is the No. 1 killer of women in this country, it is not.”
HonorHealth is working to change that narrative around women’s health hoping to dispel misconceptions around chronic illness, provide a safe space to learn about exercise and, most importantly, how to maintain cardiac fitness.
“When you think of a woman dying you think of breast or ovarian cancer — you do not think that it is heart disease, but it has been this way for some time,” Ms. Chorney explained to the Arizona Digital Free Press.
“HonorHealth has taken a very unique perspective and started its own women’s heart health group. HonorHealth recruited me to come back after an initial presentation because those statistics are so dramatic.”
That recruitment has led to the establishment of the HonorHealth Women’s Heart Health Group Exercise Rx event, which was held earlier this week at the Scottsdale Shea Medical Center.
“My history is at the age of 32 I had my own cardiac event and through my own recovery I have really developed a passion around helping women understand heart health,” Ms. Chorney explained of her motivation. “A lot of women don’t feel comfortable at the gym, some women don’t want to put on the tights and go to the gym. Women are not little men, we are different hormonally, we are different biologically.”
HonorHealth women’s group spearheads vital information about heart health
Once a month at the Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, women can gather for an exercise class and informational session that is designed for women to learn about heart health, and the myriad phases a women’s body goes through.
“You get me for two hours and we talk about the risk factors and how to take blood pressure and to understand what it is telling you,” Ms. Chorney pointed out of the Women’s Heart Health group. “The demand is there, they absolutely loved the informational piece as women who attended this month’s class started to ask questions. That is really important because women do not present classic symptoms of cardiac issues.”
A total of 400,000 American women will die from a cardiac event over the next year, numbers show.
“The No. 1 cause of death for our maternal population is cardiac arrest,” Ms. Chorney explained. “Typically deaths around childbirth occur one to two months after the child is born. New mothers who feel exhausted, are physically exhausted and need to understand cardiac health. Where you live shouldn’t determine if you live.”
Bill Baer, an HonorHealth communications professional, attended the women’s event earlier this week and found value for his own family there.
“I actually brought home the packets for my daughters and my wife,” he said of information he learned while attending the event. “Honestly, seeing the comfortable space that was created, without any pressure, I thought it was fabulous and because of that environment there were no shortages of questions.”
