May 24, 2002

An Arrow Through the Heart: An MGH patient shares her story

At age 44, Deborah Daw Heffernan felt that she had it all — a loving husband, supportive friends and family, a successful business and good health, all of which was a great source of pride. She exercised regularly, never smoked and ate healthy food. But one day five years ago without any warning, Heffernan's world turned upside down. During a rather mellow yoga class and with no family history of heart disease or other cardiac risk factors, she suffered a massive, near-fatal heart attack. After being stabilized at a hospital in Cambridge, Heffernan was transferred to the MGH where she came under the care of cardiologist Marc Semigran, MD, and cardiac surgeon David Torchiana, MD.

It took more than a year, several surgeries and a permanent defibrillator implanted in her chest to bring Heffernan back to life — a life that now includes half a heart and a likely transplant in her future. While looking for support to help her live this new life, Heffernan found that there was little information available for women who survived heart attacks. Using her skills as a professional writer, Heffernan decided to write a book chronicling her first year with the disease, from its onset at the yoga class, through her stay at the MGH and the illness' impact on the lives of her and her family, to her recovery and acceptance of living with heart disease.

"More than half a million women die each year from heart disease, making it the leading cause of death for women," says Heffernan. "I wrote An Arrow Through the Heart to ambush women with critical information disguised as a good read — rather than letting heart disease ambush them as it did me." Many women, like Heffernan, are caught unaware when they experience cardiac problems and are unprepared for the journey of recovery that follows a heart attack. Heffernan says she hopes that this book will be a guide for them.

Throughout the book, Heffernan also has nothing but praise and admiration for all the MGH staff who helped in her recovery. "I am here because of the hospital, all the people who fought for me and continue to help me recover and live,"she says. As an additional bonus, Heffernan hopes to donate $25,000 to the MGH from the proceeds of the book. An Arrow Through the Heart, which is published by Simon & Schuster, is available in the MGH General Store and area bookstores.