CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A Chesapeake woman was in her early 20s when she had a heart attack. Now, she's using her story to help save lives.
The American Heart Association says heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for women of color.
"I feel like I had to have faith, because I had to be there for my kids. And I was able to see both of them graduate, and that's all I really wanted to see" said Marquita Covil, a survivor.
Covil counts her blessings and wears red as a reminder of the moment her life could have taken a devastating turn.
"I was so young, and I was like, 'Why me?'" Covil added.
It's a question that Covil still asks herself. She was in her early 20s when she had her first heart attack.
"I just had sharp pain, and then I called my sister-in-law, who is a nurse practitioner, And she said, 'You don't play with pains in your chest, you need to go to the emergency room.' And that's what I did," said Covil.
That was the first sign of Covil's heart trouble. Her doctor told her she had congestive heart failure. Years later, she had two strokes in her 30s.
"I was just working and raising my kids, and then it came all of a sudden," Covil added.
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Coming off the operating table after her second stroke, she says she knew she had to change her lifestyle. Although she's not a smoker or a drinker, she admits the pandemic took a toll on her stress level. She also got COVID and battled with shortness of breath which landed her under the knife again, this time for a heart transplant.
"I still have complications from the heart transplant. They're trying to figure out why I'm always short of breath, so I get tired quick a lot still," said Covil.
She has a long scar on her chest from the heart transplant. Her recovery from the surgery was a long one - she even had to learn how to walk again. Although that scar will never go away, it's her reminder that she's a living miracle. She now takes 17 pills each day to keep her heart healthy.
"If you feel like you have any pain, don't ignore it because it can be serious," said Covil.
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Bon Secours cardiologist Dr. Keith Newby shares that same message with his patients. He says many women tend to ignore symptoms they should be sharing with their doctors because a lot of women are not advocating for themselves enough.
"What you'll see sometimes is someone will have shortness of breath. Now, shortness of breath is a very vague symptom, but it can be indicative of a more deeper problem," said Dr. Newby.
According to the American Heart Association, more women of color die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. Their research shows one in three women are dying from heart disease, which averages one death each minute.
"You have to know your physical condition. What's your blood pressure? What [are] your cholesterol levels? Is there a family history? Are you a smoker? These are things that you have to understand. If you understand that, there's apps that will tell you whether or not you're at high risk of developing a heart problem," said Dr. Newby.
To check for heart disease, some things Dr. Newby does is examine the extremities, check for fluid retention, along with checking your neck veins to make sure they're not poking out - because it can cause issues with your liver which can lead to fluid in your system, according to Dr. Newby.
Luckily, Covil's doctor knew what the issue was when she came to the hospital after she suffered her first heart attack. After undergoing multiple surgeries, she now partners with the American Heart Association to help fight against heart disease with awareness.
"Hopefully, I'll be here many more years to celebrate," said Covil.
