“Every fifteen minutes, a baby is born with a heart defect in the United States,” according to Congenital Heart Defects. Being one of them, it certainly does not feel like it. Since severe defects are mostly found prenatally, many individuals grow up feeling isolated. As someone with Double Outlet Right Ventricle Defect, I do not know anyone with a disease remotely similar to mine. That being said, it is dire that awareness is brought to heart disease so that every one of these babies feel seen. A perfect opportunity for this is during February, which is heart disease awareness month.

A major contributor to the lack of awareness comes from the vast amount of types and stages of heart disease. Some are discovered prenatally, at birth, through childhood, adulthood, or even never depending on severity. The heart is so complex and sensitive that any minor malformation counts as a defect. In my experience, I have multiple defects but the seemingly insignificant one is what has caused the most symptoms for me. That being said, each case of heart disease is incredibly unique which adds to the same feeling of isolation and engulfment. 

Dr. John-Charles Loo (A), a pediatric cardiologist, added that “in a high school of 500 students, approximately 5 students will have been born with a congenital heart problem.  Approximately 4 of those 5 students (80%) are mild and require no intervention or lifelong impact. Approximately 1 of those 5 students (20%) will require some surgery or procedure, sometimes multiple, extra visits to the doctor multiple times a year for their entire lives.” This leads to why it is incredibly pivotal to spread awareness and show representation in academic settings. Teenage years are when humans typically undergo the most change and maturity, and being permanently different makes it even harder to fit in. Furthermore, heart disease has a direct correlation with depression and anxiety. According to the American Heart Association, “children with complex heart abnormalities are five times more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder during their lifetime. Yet only a small fraction of children with CHD are assessed or treated for mental health issues. About half of adults living with CHD are diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders.” This is one of the many reasons heart disease is known as an invisible disability. Heart disease survivors struggle with symptoms both physically and mentally every single day and it is almost always incredibly rare for others to notice. During this month, if not every month, it is crucial to highlight these silent battles.

One of the many ways to help is volunteering or donating to charities and organizations that help support those with heart disease and promote deeper research on the illness. Some well known organizations include American Heart Association, The Heart Foundation and Family Heart Foundation. Closer to home, Yorba Linda High School has many clubs revolving around hospital volunteering or medical research in general. One of these many clubs is Future Healers, which focuses on researching and learning about various medical terms as well as helping those in hospitals. Pahal Shukla (10), a board member for this club commented that “through this club I have learned a lot about different diseases and also what goes into various treatments. I have learned how difficult it is living with something like a heart disease, so I definitely think spreading awareness is really important.” Donating blood is also a great way to help as most heart surgeries require blood transfusions and hospitals are always in need of it anyway. Lastly, volunteering at hospitals is incredibly helpful, not just for heart disease patients but all patients in general. From helping at the cafeteria to doing activities with patients themselves, any little contribution makes every hospital stay better.