❤️🫀 TODAY IS #AORTICDISSECTIONAWARENESSDAY! 🫀❤️ And during #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth, we can think of no better day to share something incredibly special… 🎉 𝑨𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆’𝒔 8𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒖𝒂𝒍 “𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑰𝑺 𝑾𝑯𝑨𝑻 𝑯𝑶𝑷𝑬 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑲𝑺 𝑳𝑰𝑲𝑬” 𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒐—𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒀𝑶𝑼! 🎉 And yes…a few adorable pets made it in too! 🐾❤️ Aortic dissection is serious. We know that not every story has the ending we desperately wish it did, and today we remember those

It's #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth and #AorticDissectionAwarenessWeek. Today Emmanuel Mbaka, The African Perfusionist teaches us 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼 𝗪𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆? There is one organ we think about constantly during complex aortic surgery. The brain. Your brain depends on a continuous supply of oxygenated blood. But there is something important about the anatomy: the arteries carrying blood toward the brain arise from th

It's #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth and #AorticDissectionAwarenessWeek. Today, Emmanuel Mbaka, The African Perfusionist will explain: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆? Imagine being told before your operation: “During your surgery, we will cool your body.” That statement alone can sound frightening. You might immediately ask: “How cold are you going to make me?” In complex aortic surgery, particularly when we are operating

AORTIC VALVE DISEASE: WHAT IS IT AND HOW IS IT TREATED? Your aortic valve may be small, but it has a HUGE responsibility! Located between the heart’s left ventricle and the aorta, the aortic valve opens with each heartbeat to allow blood to leave the heart and enter the aorta—and then closes to prevent blood from flowing backward. A typical native aortic valve has three leaflets, called a tricuspid aortic valve. Some people, however, are born with a congenital difference such

A typical native aortic valve has three leaflets, called a tricuspid aortic valve. But some people are born with a congenital heart difference affecting the aortic valve. 🫀❤️ LET’S TALK ABOUT THE AORTIC VALVE! For #AorticValveDiseaseAwarenessDay, during #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth and #AorticDissectionAwarenessMonth, let’s shine a light on the valve that serves as the gateway between your heart and your aorta! A typical native aortic valve has three leaflets, called a tricu

THIS #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth & #AorticDissectionAwarenessWeek, IT’S TIME TO SHIFT THE DYNAMIC. Not a power struggle. A power balance. For too many people living with aortic disease, healthcare can feel like this: -We explain what’s wrong. -They tell us what to do. -We nod politely. -We hold back the questions we really want to ask. -We leave—and sometimes end up right back where we started. Sound familiar? When you’re living with aortic disease, that cycle can be frustra

💊🫀 It is #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth and we are discussing MEDICATIONS, MEDICATIONS, MEDICATIONS! 🫀💊 If you live with aortic disease, chances are your medicine cabinet has become a little more… interesting! 😂 Beta blockers? ACE inhibitors? ARBs? Blood thinners? Statins? Diuretics? And what exactly does each one DO? 🤔 Aortic Hope is here to help you make sense of it! 🎓 Check out our presentation with Dr. Kristin Watson, Doctor of Pharmacy, where she breaks down common

♥️ It's #AorticDiseaseAwareness month! Unlike emergency aortic dissection surgery, most surgeries are elective. Today, we are starting a series: Inside Aortic Surgery written by Emmanuel Mbaka, "The African Perfusionist" 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆 When you are told that you need aortic surgery, your mind can immediately jump to the operating room. You may start imagining the surgeon, the anesthesia, the heart-lung machine, and every

🫀💙 𝗔𝗛𝗧𝗩 𝗤&𝗔: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗮 — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁! 💙🫀 We’re excited to introduce you to 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗮, cardiac perfusionist, educator, and the creator of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁! Join Carin Andersen on AHTV, Aortic Hope’s YouTube channel, as she sits down with Emmanuel to talk about: 🫀 What exactly does a perfusionist do? 🏥 What role does a perfusionist play during open-heart sur

🫀💙 Explore the Global Heart Hub Research Portal 💙🫀 Aortic Hope is proud to share this valuable resource from our friends at Global Heart Hub, created to help patients become informed and active partners in cardiovascular research. The portal provides easy-to-understand information about: 🔬 Different types of cardiovascular research 🧪 Clinical trials and how to participate 🗣️ Why the patient voice matters in research 🌎 Opportunities to find clinical trials relevant to

Hi everyone! My name is Jared Lin and today we will be diving into Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: What it is, Who it affects, and Why early diagnosis matters. Why Early Diagnosis Matters Genetics and Aortic Disease: Understanding Loeys-Dietz Syndrome When we talk about aortic disease, we often focus on imaging, surgery, blood pressure, or emergency symptoms. But for many patients and families, the story begins much deeper . . . In the genes! One important genetic condition linked to a

This month we are focusing our attention on helping you ACE Your Healthcare Journey and today is about ADVOCATING. 🫀✨ ACE Your Healthcare Journey: A is for ADVOCATE ✨🫀 Advocating for yourself isn’t always easy — but it’s one of the most powerful things you can do on your aortic journey. 💙 Advocate = taking an active role in your care. Here’s how you can start: 📝 Keep copies of your records, scans, and test results ❓ Write down questions before appointments 👥 Bring a trus

It's #ThinkAortaThinkFamily Thursday! 📑Knowing your family medical history can save lives. 🗣️Start the conversation with your loved ones and learn about the conditions that may run in your family. ❓Ask if any family member has had any type of aneurysm (not just aortic), an aortic dissection, a congenital heart defect such as being born with a bicuspid aortic valve, or a sudden death where an autopsy was not done to rule out aortic disease. 👉Aortic dissections are rare, but

✨ New year. Same body. Still worthy of movement. ✨ As we step into a new year, let’s remind ourselves of something powerful: Your body doesn’t need to change to deserve care, respect, or movement. Movement doesn’t have to look a certain way. It doesn’t have to be fast, intense, or impressive. And it definitely doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Maybe it’s 🐢 slow and steady 🕺 joyful and expressive 😴 intentional rest and recovery 🚶‍♀️ gentle, consistent progress Whate

💙 Movement for Movement Monday 💙 The hardest part isn’t the workout. It’s the decision to start. It has power over the brain. That tiny moment between thinking about moving and actually moving — that’s where the battle happens. So here’s your trick: 👉 The Two-Minute Rule. Tell yourself, “I’m already doing it.” Not “I should move,” but “I’m moving now.” Because the moment you decide, you shift your brain from hesitation to action. You stop negotiating with yourself — and ju

Did you know that aortic disease can run in families—even when it doesn’t look obvious? Genetics play a HUGE role, and sometimes the signs aren’t what you’d expect. On this episode of AHTV, genetic counselor and survivor Ryan Rodarmer shares his personal journey of surviving multiple heart surgeries and aortic dissections, PLUS the critical questions you need to ask about family history, testing, and risk factors. 💡 If you or a loved one has been impacted by aortic disease,

Ever hear of the 5 Second Rule? Not the food one 😅 — the Mel Robbins one. Here’s how it works: When you feel yourself hesitate, count 5-4-3-2-1… GO. 🚀 No overthinking. No excuses. Just action. Stand up. Stretch. Walk. Breathe. Move. Because the truth is: your life changes in the moment you decide to act. 🚀 Try it today: The next time you feel stuck, count down from 5 and move. See what happens. 🎥 Watch this short video of Mel Robbins explaining her method: CLICK HERE . 🩵

Top North American Aortic-Awareness organizations stand together to save lives during Aortic Dissection Awareness Week (September 14 –...

🌀 Movement for Movement Monday Do you ever notice how the more you sit, the heavier your body feels—and the harder it becomes to get up? That’s not weakness or laziness. It’s your brain’s inertia loop at work. Here’s the science: our brains crave consistency. When you stay still, your nervous system signals, “This must be what we’re supposed to do—stay still.” The longer you sit, the deeper the loop. But here’s the good news—motion breaks the loop. Even a 30-second “pattern

🧠 Let’s be honest. If nothing changes— ❌ Nothing. Will. Change. You say you want to feel better. Move better. Live longer. But let’s talk about what really happens if you don’t. Not in a decade—in a year: Still stiff? Still tired? Still frustrated you didn’t start sooner? 🎯 Here’s the truth: The difference between stagnation and transformation is a single uncomfortable step. Ask yourself right now: 👉 Do I want to be in the same place, physically and mentally, this time nex