When 32-year-old Nadia Jones was given a brochure on how to live life after congestive heart failure and saw an elderly woman on the cover, she panicked.

“The brochure said most people live only 10 years after having it. Fortunately, my cardiologist reassured me that I was a unique case.”

Having never struggled with weight, Nadia considered herself in good health despite a checkered family medical history.

“My dad has had high blood pressure for as long as I can remember, and he’s on medication now. My mom suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and it’s very serious to the point that it has affected her activity level. My dad’s dad died after his second bout with cancer at 98 and my mom’s dad died from diabetes.” 

But during her pregnancies, she experienced high blood pressure and preeclampsia and had to be hospitalized. After the birth of her daughter, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

Though she worries about the unknown repercussions from her diagnosis, Nadia is the picture of health.

“I go to the gym, eat more whole grains and drink lots of water. I love doing yoga and cardio, too.”

As both an attorney and a law professor, Nadia rarely has much downtime, but she knows how stress and heart disease go hand in hand.

“About three years ago, my good friend was rushed to the hospital for a heart condition and eventually had to retire from her law practice. If she gets too stressed out, she could end up back in the hospital again. She’s taught me how to stay calm. She’s my stress role model now.”

Nadia joined Go Red BetterU in an effort to raise awareness of this misunderstood disease.

“When I first learned that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, I was surprised. A lot of women don’t realize it. They go undiagnosed, and it’s often too late.”

She chooses to be a BetterU for her children.

“I worry where I’ll be in 20 or 30 years. I want to make sure I’m around a long, long time.”

Nadia’s certainly not going anywhere anytime soon, but if she needs any more motivation, she can always look back at that silly brochure she was given.