At 31, She Had a Heart Attack. A Decade Later, She’s Redefining Her Story

Ten years ago, Kisha Stewart’s world changed unexpectedly. It wasn’t a dramatic event, but a quiet, internal shock. She had recently given birth to her son, Diego, and attributed the constant fatigue she experienced at the time to postpartum recovery. Eager to return to normalcy, she agreed to join a few friends for a night out in Cape Coral, Florida.

As the evening progressed, Stewart felt a creeping unease, followed by waves of nausea, dizziness, and clammy skin. Then, a severe crushing chest pain, unlike any discomfort she’d ever known, seized her. At first, she thought it might be a blood clot — a potential complication from her recent cesarean section. But her nurse’s intuition told her something was off. She immediately called her husband, Mike, who rushed her to the hospital in 10 minutes.

Stewart, a registered nurse, was keenly aware of medical biases within the healthcare system, but this time, she was seeing it firsthand. “I thought everyone got the same treatment,” she reflects. “But that night, I saw how looks and gender change things.”

Despite her persistent, well-informed concerns, a physician initially dismissed her symptoms as postpartum. Stewart sensed something was terribly wrong and demanded further evaluation. It took just one minute for an experienced nurse to assess her and sound the alarm: “She’s having a heart attack.”

The Diagnosis: SCAD

Chaos erupted as the medical team sprang into action. Additional testing confirmed her worst fear — she was in the midst of a life-threatening cardiac event. Within moments, she was prepped for emergency surgery. The beeping of monitors blurred with the voices of doctors and nurses shouting orders. As she was wheeled into the operating room, she panicked. This wasn’t supposed to happen. At 31, she expected to feel invincible.

The diagnosis: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), a rare and often underdiagnosed cause of heart attacks in women, particularly during the period around childbirth. SCAD involves a non-atherosclerotic tear in a coronary artery, leading to obstruction of vital blood flow to the heart muscle. For Stewart, the emotional aftermath was intense. A mix of fear, uncertainty, and a deep sense of betrayal overwhelmed her. Rebuilding her physical strength was tough, but regaining trust in her body was just as hard. “My body went through a lot,” she says, still carrying the fear that it might happen again.

Stewart’s experience with SCAD shifted her career focus, steering her toward work that aligns with her personal values. Now, at 41, she is a national heart health advocate, actively participating in support groups for women who’ve faced similar experiences. Additionally, in 2022, she served as a spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative, which aims to raise heart health awareness across the country. She regularly participates in community outreach programs, particularly those focused on educating young Black women about cardiovascular health. She often speaks at local health events, providing resources and information to empower women to take control of their health.

Her self-published memoir, “Sonata for a Damaged Heart,” released in February 2024, recounts her personal journey of surviving a near-fatal heart attack after her second pregnancy while also highlighting the racial disparities in healthcare that played a significant role in her experience. It’s a powerful recount of her decade-long struggle, told with dignity, and serves as a call to action for systemic change in healthcare. “Every time I would talk about what happened to me, people were surprised,” she says. “Even doctors.”

Stewart’s journey highlights a critical public health issue. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease accounts for about 1 in 5 female deaths. The CDC also reports significant disparities in maternal mortality. In 2023, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births compared to 14.5 deaths per 100,000 live births for white women. These disparities are driven by factors like systemic racism, implicit bias in healthcare, limited access to quality care, and socioeconomic challenges. These issues contribute to delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatment, and poorer health outcomes for Black women.

Facing Trauma and Mental Health Challenges

Like many Black women raised to value self-reliance, Stewart initially tried handling her trauma alone. Her experience is a stark example of how disparities in healthcare play out in real life. Studies published in journals like Obstetrics and Gynecology have shown that Black women are more likely to report discrimination and mistreatment in healthcare settings. Even with Stewart’s medical background and insistence, she was initially dismissed by her healthcare provider.

Stewart’s recovery was further complicated by a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. “Healing isn’t easy,” she says. She has good and bad days with anxiety and depression. She emphasizes the importance of mental health in overall health and well-being, adding, “Stress affects your body, too.” She remembers experiencing severe anxiety that once confined her to her home.

“At the time, you know, I had superwoman syndrome. I thought I could handle everything on my own,” she says. That mindset wasn’t sustainable. She emphasizes the importance of women supporting each other, a value she now instills in her daughter, Athena. “I am very much a supporter of women. I teach my daughter to support your friends, be there as an advocate for each other.”

Stewart’s journey began on Long Island, New York, in a first-generation Haitian-American household. Her parents, who immigrated to the U.S. and pursued higher education, instilled in her the values of hard work, resilience, and the importance of education. They also prioritized health and wellness, promoting a lifestyle centered on whole foods and physical activity. These early lessons played a key role in how Stewart navigated the complexities of her heart health challenges. Her passion for helping others and her curiosity about the human body led her to a career in nursing. She studied in southwest Florida, gaining both the knowledge and practical skills to provide compassionate care. Her background in psychology deepened her understanding of the connection between mental and physical health, shaping her holistic approach to patient care and advocacy.

Now living in Lahaina, Hawaii, Stewart is deeply involved in her community. As head coach of the Lahaina Chiefs cheer teams, she leads a group of 27 girls ages 5 to 11. She’s also working on creating a cheer, dance, and tumbling facility to offer valuable opportunities for local children. “I discovered how much I love cheer again and how much I love to teach dance,” she says. For her, self-care takes many forms. Whether it’s therapy, physical activity, or the simple comfort of ’90s music, she finds solace in small moments.

Supporting Women Postpartum

A heart attack is inherently traumatic, and for women who have recently given birth, it can intensify feelings of vulnerability and fear. Maria Bush, a licensed therapist and founder of Kindness Connects Us Therapy, points out that recovery can be even more difficult, as the focus tends to be on the baby rather than the mother’s health. To support these women, online therapy platforms provide flexible scheduling with therapists who understand the important link between heart health and emotional well-being. “Additionally, support groups, both virtual and in-person, create a sense of community, allowing women to share experiences and coping strategies, thereby fostering resilience and hope in their healing journey,” says Bush.

Years after her heart attack, Stewart gave birth to her daughter, Athena, marking a turning point in her life. Athena became a reminder of the future she’s fighting for, one in which women are empowered to prioritize their health and well-being. It was during this time that a realization struck her: “This is a story I need to keep telling,” she says.

Stewart sees herself as the new face of heart disease, a problem that affects more and more women in their 30s, not just older generations. She wants to show that while women may look healthy on the outside, many could be unknowingly walking around with a silent alarm.

Ultimately, she wants Black women to prioritize self-care and understand how their family history can impact their health. “They already want to call us dramatic, so be dramatic! Fight for your life,” she says. “Get to know your body so that when you do speak up, you can stand firm.”