PHOENIX — A nurse practitioner from the Valley is sharing her story, hoping to raise awareness, after she became the patient rather that the healthcare provider at the age of 32.
Mia Chorney has made it her mission to bring awareness about how deadly heart disease is in women across the United States. She wants everyone to understand why maintaining a healthy lifestyle is so important.
Chorney in passionate about what she does.
“I’m the advanced practice program manager for the Women’s Heart Center at HonorHealth and a cardiology NP,” she said.
But at the age of 32, when Chorney was managing an emergency room, she walked out of the hospital following the end of her shift and suffered a cardiac event.
“I was standing in the hallway talking to the staff, and I absolutely went blank,” said Chorney. “I fell straight backwards, cracked my head open and they called code.”
Chorney went right back into the emergency room but as a patient.
“I still don’t recall any of it to this day,” she said.
Later she learned what had happened, it was a heart arrhythmia.
“When your heart beats really, really fast… it’s not pushing that blood out, that gives you circulation to your head and the rest of your body,” said Chorney.
Thankfully, with the right care and medical treatment, she was able to fully recover and go back to work.
But by the time she turned 50, she was burned out and decided to transform her life.
“Eating right, understanding that balance of cardio, resistance,” she said.
Mia is now a certified elite trainer. She has competed in natural bodybuilding competitions and currently gets her kicks by trail running with her husband.
“I wear a smartwatch, always, faithfully,” she said. “And I track my rhythm.”
Chorney's goal is to motivate women to learn about heart health and how to take better care of themselves.
"Just trying to show that we can do something for ourselves,” said Chorney.
Still to this day, she doesn’t know what caused the heart arrhythmia or if it was genetic, but she should find out soon. Next week she is going for a full cardiac genetic testing, so hopefully, she will get some answers.
Her advice for other women is to keep your body moving. She urged women to get at least 150 minutes of movement a week.
Now at the age of 56, Mia is full of energy and living with purpose.
“Every day, finding intention and being purposeful and making sure we can someway give back,” she said.
Chorney has been invited to spend a week at Mayo Rochester to work alongside their team and share her personal experience and about the work she’s currently doing with genetic testing.
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