Same family, unique risks

Carolyn Csanyi was taken aback when her sister, Sharon, called her up from the Maritimes with news about a heart condition.

“We rely on each other quite a bit for the good, the bad and the ugly in life, says Carolyn, a retired police officer, living in Kingston, Ontario. “This time I was shocked — I was genuinely shocked.”

Right before Sharon’s recent foot surgery, pre-op tests had pointed to an issue. Further testing in the weeks and months that followed revealed it to be a left bundle branch block — a delay in the electrical impulses that control the heartbeat. Sharon also learned she’d experienced a silent heart attack in the past.

Discovering hidden risks 

Even though Carolyn, had done yearly CPR training in the police service and seen firsthand that women can have cardiac events without warning, she was still surprised by Sharon’s heart issues.  

“She's a non-smoker, she’s leading a healthy lifestyle — we’re both so super health conscious, particularly since we retired.” The sisters had supported each other in areas like healthy eating, keeping fit and incorporating weight training into their routines for the past few years. “We both went on this quest to really delve into our health and make sure we were doing all the right things.”  

Yet women face unique risk factors for heart disease and stroke as they go through different life stages. And around 90% are unaware of them.

A personalized report and action plan 

After Sharon used Risk Screen to learn more about her risks, she urged Carolyn to use the tool and access her own personalized report and action plan. 

Carolyn already knew having high cholesterol put her at risk, but she’d been managing it carefully since her diagnosis. However, she was surprised to learn that pre-diabetes — another condition she’d been diagnosed with one year prior — was a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.  

And Carolyn learned that working in a high-stress field for over three decades could have had a long-term impact on her heart and brain health.  
“In your younger years, you're running ragged: raising a family, working, doing all the things — and you think you're invincible,” she says.

Taking charge of your health and future 

After using the tool, Carolyn spoke with her doctor about heart disease prevention, advising him about her sister’s heart condition and other family history details. After going through a challenging menopause transition with limited information and interventions, she has become a great believer in self-advocacy.  

But she’s glad that Risk Screen is helping women across Canada to know their risks and access science-backed information, so they too can double down on prevention. “They're able to have a more informed conversation and press their healthcare providers to look out for certain things.”  

Now retired, Carolyn is focused on making memories with her children and grandchildren, aged two and three. Understanding her heart health means having more time for the people and moments that matter most. That's why she encourages other women to learn their risks and start the conversation.

• Use the Risk Screen tool
• Learn more about women’s health
• A mother’s legacy, a daughter’s quest. Read Adria’s story
• Looking healthy wasn’t the whole picture. Read Sharon's story