Ginny Russell Curley ’86 suffered a cardiac arrest on July 12, 2010, at age 42. Her life was saved by her husband Mark, who woke up in time to call 911 and perform CPR.
It was saved by the paramedics having a new device onboard the ambulance, the AutoPulse, that could deliver chest compressions while they maneuvered the stretcher down our tight staircase. It was saved – twice – by the defibrillator they used enroute to the hospital. And it was saved by the expert cardiology team waiting for her when they arrived.
And she does not remember any of that.
“What I do remember is that each of those lifesaving moments happened because of the years of research, policy changes, and training required to advance healthcare. And those years cost money. Period. I am alive today because of the financial support of millions of individuals who said “yes” when asked to donate. So, now it is time to pay it forward.”
Each year The American Heart Association launches its Woman of Impact fundraising campaign, and Ginny is excited to join this year’s efforts as a 2023 Woman of Impact Nominee.
She hope you will join her in this fight to raise awareness so more women know the risk factors and warning signs of heart disease and stroke. Read more about Ginny’s nomination here.