Mi nombre es Francis Artemisa Cárdenas Olguín. Tengo 38 años, nací en la Ciudad de México y actualmente vivo en la sierra norte de Puebla.

Cuando tenía apenas 3 meses, los médicos detectaron un soplo cardíaco. A los 7 meses, me hicieron un cateterismo diagnóstico para entender mejor mi condición, pero durante el procedimiento sufrí un paro respiratorio. Fue entonces cuando me diagnosticaron una comunicación interventricular muscular amplia con extensión posterior severa.

A los 2 años, me realizaron una cirugía a corazón abierto para reparar el defecto. Me colocaron un parche de Dacron, pero durante la operación sufrí un bloqueo cardíaco. Desde entonces, dependo completamente de un marcapasos. Durante los últimos 36 años, mi corazón ha dependido por completo de este dispositivo para seguir latiendo.

He tenido un total de 16 cirugías, dos de ellas a corazón abierto, y he vivido con marcapasos epicárdicos como endocárdicos. Hoy en día, aún tengo una insuficiencia pulmonar y un soplo residual, recordatorios diarios de todo lo que ha vivido mi corazón.

A pesar de too, he logrado llevar una vida plena y saludable. Me mantengo activa con ejercicio ligero como cardio y spinning, para cuidar el corazón que me ha sostenido durante todo este tiempo.

Mi historia es un recordatorio de que las enfermedades cardiovasculares pueden afectar a cualquier persona, a cualquier edad. Por eso, me apasiona crear conciencia y apoyar a los niños que enfrentan desafíos similares.

Una condición cardíaca no tiene por qué definir tu futuro. En este Día Mundial del Corazón, apoyo el mensaje de que todas las personas, en todas partes, deben tener acceso al tratamiento médico y al apoyo que necesitan.

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My name is Francis Artemisa Cárdenas Olguín. I am 38 years old, I was born in Mexico City and I currently live in the northern mountains of Puebla.

When I was just 3 months old, doctors detected a heart murmur. At 7 months old, I underwent a diagnostic catheterization to understand this more, but during the procedure, I went into respiratory arrest. That was when I was diagnosed with a large muscular ventricular septal defect with severe posterior extension.

At 2 years old, I underwent open-heart surgery to repair the defect. A Dacron patch was placed, but during the operation I suffered a cardiac blockage. Since then, I’ve been 100% pacemaker dependent. For the last 36 years, my heart has relied entirely on a device to keep beating.

I've had 16 surgeries in total, two of which were open-heart surgeries and have lived with both epicardial and endocardial pacemakers. Today, I still have pulmonary insufficiency and a residual murmur, daily reminders of everything my heart has been through.

Despite my challenges, I’ve managed to live a full and healthy life. I stay active through light exercise like cardio and spinning to take care of the heart that’s carried me through so much.

My story is a reminder that cardiovascular disease can affect anyone, at any age. That’s why I’m passionate about raising awareness and supporting children facing similar health challenges.

A heart condition doesn’t have to define your future. This World Heart Day, I support the message that everyone, everywhere, should have access to the medical treatment and support they need. This is why, I urge the Mexican government to make sure that people throughout the country have earlier access to treatment for hypertension as well as education to save more lives.

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Heart disease is the world’s number one killer. 

More deadly than cancer, it claims around 20 million lives a year and is the reason that 1 in 5 of us will die early.

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

Medication to reduce high blood pressure - a major risk factor for heart disease - saves lives by preventing heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes. 

But 4 in 5 people are not getting the treatment they need to control their blood pressure. 

It’s time for urgent action.      

That’s why we’re calling on Governments to act now and commit to helping some 500 million more people get the treatment they need by 2030. 

There’s no time to lose. In the 30 seconds it may have taken you to read this, 20 more lives have been lost. It could be you or someone you love next.

SIGN our petition to call for better treatment TODAY and stop needless deaths.

The World Heart Federation