TEXAS – Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and women are more likely to die from it than any other disease.

• Lashawnda Walker had a heart attack in 2017
• She was 37 at the time
• Now she raises awareness for heart disease in women

According to the American Heart Association, over the last 20 years, awareness has been on the rise among women and they say women should get screened for cardiovascular disease if it's in their family history or if their blood pressure, sugar, or cholesterol levels are high.

Lashawnda Walker was walking through her garage in 2017. She was helping gather items for her son’s move to college when she started having chest pains.  

“I actually began to feel some awkwardness and tightness, feeling like an elephant was sitting on my chest in the middle of loading a box,” said Walker.

Walker felt pain run up her arm and had difficulty breathing. 

“I said, ‘This doesn’t feel right,’ and I started feeling as if I’m about to pass out,” she said. 

Her son called 911 and she was admitted to the hospital.

“There I was told that I had ischemic heart attack,” she said. “I was in disbelief because I did not believe that could happen to me.”

Walker was only 37 years old and said she lived a healthy lifestyle. She was a pescatarian and exercised regularly.

But Walker has a history of heart disease in her family which ultimately put her at greater risk of having a heart attack.

She was determined for it to never happen again, though, and started making lifestyle adjustments.

“I did have a cardiac pacemaker implanted so that’s another thing I had to get used to having at my age,” she explained.

She also decided to take a different approach in managing heart disease by sharing her story and becoming involved with organizations that raise awareness. She’s even participated in an annual heart walk every year since the heart attack.

“I still hear today that ‘Oh, you’re too young for this to have happened to you.’ There’s no age bracket for a heart attack or heart disease,” Walker said. “So, my takeaway was to get more educated about it. "

Walker says real change in fighting heart disease starts at home and recommends people take the time to learn about their family's health history because that can also be key to prevention.