INDIANAPOLIS – Mellanie True Hills had a wake-up call when exiting an airline on a business trip to California. She had pain in her shoulder and was fighting for breath. She consulted physicians at home and received treatment for a blocked coronary artery.A few months later, while at her home in Austin, Texas, she felt her heart skipping beats, her vision blurred and she became dizzy, and her right leg felt cold. Hills sought immediate help again, where tests revealed she was on the cusp of a stroke related to atrial fibrillation (Afib), a condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly. Innovative and swift treatment saved Hills’ life.
Mellanie True Hills
“I soon learned that heart disease is forever – once you have it you're more at risk for more heart disease, stroke, and other issues,” Hills said.
Hills will share her story at a free seminar Saturday, Nov. 7, with presentations by St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gerdisch, M.D., and cardiologist John “Trey” Moore III, both of whom have successfully treated patients with Afib through minimally invasive surgical and non-surgical procedures.
Participants will learn about new treatment options and the risks of Afib, which according to some estimates affects more than 2.2 million Americans and causes 70,000 strokes annually.
Gerdisch, director of cardiothoracic surgery at St. Francis, made headlines last July when it was announced he was the first in the world to use CorMatrix Extracellular Matrix (ECM)™ to modify and repair cardiac structures, allowing heart tissue to re-grow inside the beating hearts of heart surgery patients. To learn more about Gerdisch’s work with ECM go to www.cardiactissuerepair.net.
Moore, a member of Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis, is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He specializes in clinical cardiac electrophysiology.
After her own successful treatment, Hills uses her “second chance” to coach individuals in creating healthy lifestyles and organizations in creating healthy, productive workplaces. She’s the founder of StopAfib.org, chief executive officer of the American Foundation for Women's Health, and author of A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life: The HEART Program for Health & Longevity.
“At the time, 2003, no one was talking about women and heart disease so I decided it might as well be me,” recalled Hills. “I left my road warrior job to go off to speak about women and heart disease.
The seminar gets under way at 9 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5255 Noggle Way (off Emerson Avenue, near County Line Road separating Johnson and Marion counties). To register by the Oct. 30 deadline, call 317-782-4422.
To learn more about the cardiac services at St. Francis, go to www.stfrancishospitals.org/heart.
