World Heart Day: Honoring Resilience, Healing Medical Trauma, and Supporting “Heart Warriors”
Every year on World Heart Day, we’re reminded of the importance of protecting and caring for our hearts. For some, heart health is simply about exercise, diet, and regular checkups. But for others—especially those born with or living with congenital heart disease—the journey looks very different.
As someone born with a congenital heart condition myself, I understand firsthand the challenges that come with living under the shadow of medical uncertainty. While my own story is just one of many, it has given me a deep appreciation for the courage, resilience, and perseverance of the “heart warrior” community.
Understanding Medical Trauma
When we talk about “trauma,” most people think of sudden, catastrophic events. But trauma can also happen in medical settings. Medical trauma is the emotional and psychological distress that arises from ongoing, life-threatening, or frightening medical experiences—whether that’s an emergency surgery, multiple invasive procedures, or even the anxiety of “not knowing when” another health crisis might strike.
For those with congenital or acquired heart disease, this trauma can be chronic and cumulative:
Ongoing medical appointments and monitoring
Surgeries that may span across a lifetime
The looming fear of complications or health setbacks
Watching loved ones—especially children—go through it all
And importantly, this trauma doesn’t just affect patients. Parents, siblings, and even medical professionals can carry the weight of these repeated experiences.
The Resilience of Heart Warriors
Yet alongside the trauma, there is something else: remarkable resilience.
Resilience looks like:
Walking back into your doctor’s office year after year with courage
Completing frequent medical procedures and tests such as ECGs, echocardiograms, cardiopulmonary stress tests and cardiac MRIs, over and over again, and waiting for your results
Facing another surgery, even with fear in tow
Parents standing strong beside their children, even when their hearts ache
Families and providers showing up, again and again, with hope for patients and loved ones
Resilience doesn’t mean you’re not scared. It means you keep moving forward anyway.
Coping With Anxiety Before Medical Appointments
If you or someone you love lives with ongoing medical challenges, you likely know how anxiety can spike before an appointment or procedure. Here are a few practical, trauma-informed coping tools:
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise
When anxiety takes over, grounding yourself in the present can calm your nervous system.
Name 5 things you see
Take a look around the room and label the objects around you. For example, you might see a picture (or two) on the wall and multiple chairs in the waiting room. Notice the color of the carpet on the floor and what the words on the signs say next to the door. Read the words on the sign to yourself, slowly. Maybe even read the letters backwards to slow down your anxious thoughts.
4 things you feel
Feel the chair beneath you or the clothes on your skin. Press your feet, firmly into the ground. Notice the temperature of the chair handles under your arms. Is it warm or cold?
3 things you hear
Do you hear the chatter of people in the waiting room? Is there music playing in the background? Maybe you can hear the A/C blowing. Close your eyes and really focus on all the sounds around you. Or…better yet…bring your ear phones with you and put on a calming playlist from Spotify from your phone.
2 things you smell
This is where it gets a little harder. I like to encourage my clients to find an essential oil the like such as Lavender - which gives a very calming feel. Or maybe you need something to wake you up like Orange oil. See if you can smell perfume or other natural scents in the air.
1 thing you taste
This one is also a little tricky, thus, I like to recommend that my clients keep chewing gum, Altoids or Life Savers, or something else they can taste in real time to help keep them grounded. What sounds good to you?
Paced Breathing
Try breathing in for a count of 4, holding for 4, and then exhaling slowly for a count of 6. This signals safety to your body and helps regulate the nervous system.
If this feels difficult to do on your own, try following along with this short video:
Other strategies like mindfulness, guided imagery, or EMDR resourcing can also help prepare for difficult appointments and ease medical-related distress.
A New Partnership: Ollie’s Branch
I am honored to share that I’ve partnered with the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation through their program, Ollie’s Branch. Their mission to support individuals and families navigating congenital heart disease deeply aligns with my passion as both a therapist and a fellow heart warrior. This collaboration reflects my commitment to helping those impacted not only survive but also find healing and strength through the journey.
According to their website, “The mission of Ollie’s Branch is to offer compassionate, accessible mental health support to allow peace of mind for individuals with childhood-onset heart conditions and their families and caregivers.”
Moving Forward With Support
On this World Heart Day, I want to acknowledge every patient, parent, family member, and healthcare professional who has walked the path of medical uncertainty. Your resilience is powerful. And while the scars of medical trauma can run deep, healing is possible.
If you’re seeking support—whether it’s trauma therapy, EMDR, or simply a safe place to process—I invite you to reach out. You don’t have to navigate this journey alone.
