It’s no secret that women’s health is understudied. In more recent years, we’ve – thankfully – started recognising that symptoms that show up in men can differ significantly for women.

Although research shows we’re making progress, we still have a long way to go.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death for women in Australia with more than two million women living with the condition.

Each day, fifty-five families in Australia lose a grandmother, mother, daughter or sister to cardiovascular disease events such as heart attacks or strokes, that is approximately one woman losing her life every 26 minutes.

We spoke to former MasterChef contestant Mandy Hall about her heart event. A near fatal misdiagnoses that led to Hall doubting herself, going on a quest to figure out what she knew in her body was wrong, and eventually raising awareness about women’s heart health by sharing her story.

“I was told I had anxiety,” Ms Hall recalled. “But it was a 90 per cent blocked artery”.

“The reality of someone experiencing severe anxiety is serious too. But when things were really bad I was convinced I was going to die,” she said.

“I was predominately experiencing breathlessness and fatigue, then I would get a sensation when exerting my body, so when I was exercising I felt like there was a walnut in my throat.

“As someone who has spent a lot of my career on wellness, particularly with food, I knew something was wrong.

“I would put on my makeup and my hoop earrings and present myself all put together to the doctor so I would be taken seriously, which is another issue in itself.

“They said, “stop working long hours” and “you’re burnt out”.

“But you shouldn’t accept what you’re told because you lose time.

“It’s an unusual thing to say, but there was an impending sense of doom. I did really believe I was going to die. A month before I was diagnosed, I was due to go to Women in Food in New York, but I knew I shouldn’t go because I was feeling worse and worse.”

Ms Hall discussed this innate knowing, how her intuition kept niggling at her. It became a powerful tool that pushed her to search for answers, which, when she found them, shocked her. She realised how little she knew about the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease in women, pushing her to become a heart health ambassador for the Heart Foundation.

“I’m glad I didn’t go to New York because shortly after I found out about the artery. I can’t imagine what a long flight would have done,” she said.

Important research for women’s health

Perth-based Dr Cassandra Smith is a Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow alumna and Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow at Edith Cowan University whose work focuses on improving the identification, understanding and prevention of advanced blood vessel disease in women. This is what drives most cardiovascular disease events. Her research addresses the under-detection of heart disease in women by exploring new ways to identify risk before a heart attack or stroke occurs.

It’s no secret that women’s health is understudied. In more recent years, we’ve – thankfully – started recognising that symptoms that show up in men can differ significantly for women.

Although research shows we’re making progress, we still have a long way to go.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death for women in Australia with more than two million women living with the condition.

Each day, fifty-five families in Australia lose a grandmother, mother, daughter or sister to cardiovascular disease events such as heart attacks or strokes, that is approximately one woman losing her life every 26 minutes.

We spoke to former MasterChef contestant Mandy Hall about her heart event. A near fatal misdiagnoses that led to Hall doubting herself, going on a quest to figure out what she knew in her body was wrong, and eventually raising awareness about women’s heart health by sharing her story.

“I was told I had anxiety,” Ms Hall recalled. “But it was a 90 per cent blocked artery”.

“The reality of someone experiencing severe anxiety is serious too. But when things were really bad I was convinced I was going to die,” she said.

“I was predominately experiencing breathlessness and fatigue, then I would get a sensation when exerting my body, so when I was exercising I felt like there was a walnut in my throat.

“As someone who has spent a lot of my career on wellness, particularly with food, I knew something was wrong.

“I would put on my makeup and my hoop earrings and present myself all put together to the doctor so I would be taken seriously, which is another issue in itself.

“They said, “stop working long hours” and “you’re burnt out”.

“But you shouldn’t accept what you’re told because you lose time.

“It’s an unusual thing to say, but there was an impending sense of doom. I did really believe I was going to die. A month before I was diagnosed, I was due to go to Women in Food in New York, but I knew I shouldn’t go because I was feeling worse and worse.”

Ms Hall discussed this innate knowing, how her intuition kept niggling at her. It became a powerful tool that pushed her to search for answers, which, when she found them, shocked her. She realised how little she knew about the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease in women, pushing her to become a heart health ambassador for the Heart Foundation.

“I’m glad I didn’t go to New York because shortly after I found out about the artery. I can’t imagine what a long flight would have done,” she said.

Important research for women’s health

Perth-based Dr Cassandra Smith is a Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow alumna and Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow at Edith Cowan University whose work focuses on improving the identification, understanding and prevention of advanced blood vessel disease in women. This is what drives most cardiovascular disease events. Her research addresses the under-detection of heart disease in women by exploring new ways to identify risk before a heart attack or stroke occurs.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death for women in Australia with more than two million women living with the condition, and funding is not only essential, but transformative. By investing in people, not just research, the Heart Foundation nurtures the next generation of leaders and innovators, helping turn ideas into reality and advancing cardiovascular health for future generations. For more information, you can visit the website.