Cardiac rehab manager leads local movement to improve women’s heart health

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 3, 2024 – Leslie Martinek, cardiac rehab manager at St. Joseph Health in Bryan, is serving as the executive volunteer chair of the 2024 Brazos Valley Go Red for Women® movement, a comprehensive platform designed more than two decades ago to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women globally.

As the American Heart Association celebrates its 100^th birthday, Martinek will play a critical role by leading Brazos Valley women in learning how to live longer by reducing their risk for heart disease and stroke. This year’s Go Red for Women movement and its local achievements will be celebrated from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., May 10 at the Hilton College Station and Conference Center.

According to the American Heart Association, a global force for healthier lives for all, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, claiming more lives than all cancers combined. Nearly 45% of women over age 20 are living with some form of CVD[1]. Heart disease and stroke continue to be Brazos Valley women’s greatest health threat.

“I have spent my career caring for heart disease patients,” said Martinek. “When I started working in cardiac rehab, I didn't realize how much my patients would impact my life, or how much I would influence theirs. My passion for helping my patients through their recovery has grown stronger year after year, especially after experiencing heart disease in my own family along the way.”

When Martinek was in high school, her grandmother had a stroke. Her grandmother became wheelchair bound and lost most of her ability to speak. Several years later, Martinek’s aunt died from stroke complications.

“They were both so full of life and energetic prior to their strokes, and it was devastating to lose them,” said Martinek.

Her father had coronary artery bypass surgery in 2020 after Martinek urged him to be evaluated for his unusual shortness of breath and fatigue. 

“He is a survivor because we knew what symptoms to look for and we were able to get him seen by a cardiologist quickly,” said Martinek. “Knowing that we have extensive heart disease in our family motivates me to live a healthier lifestyle and to stay involved with the American Heart Association as a volunteer.

Go Red for Women is a global movement with impact across the United States and in more than 50 countries around the world.

“I feel that as women, we are often so busy caring for everyone else in our families that we neglect our own health,” said Martinek. “Little things and minor symptoms get pushed aside repeatedly until it is too late. We all think of men when we hear the word ‘heart disease’ but it is the leading cause of death for women, too.

“One thing we can do is to take time for our health regularly and early, making sure we speak up for ourselves when something doesn't feel right,” she said.

The 2024 event will feature a panel of doctors who will discuss maternal health. Funds raised will go toward distribution of kits to new mothers that will include an infant CPR kit, a blood pressure cuff to monitor blood pressure at home, a baby onesie (one-piece outfit) and information about local resources available to new parents. 

Go Red for Women is nationally sponsored by CVS Health and the Brazos Valley Go Red for Women Luncheon is locally sponsored by the Don and Donna Adam Family Foundation. For more information contact Brittany.Cervantes@heart.org or visit heart.org/BrazosValleyGoRed