Dawn Kast - 2018 Featured Survivor

Dawn Kast is an active 54 year old, wife and mother, of 2 adult children. She had shown no symptoms, of heart disease, and there is no known family history, of heart disease. When Dawn was getting her annual physical, in October of 2015, her doctor, Dr. Nancy Erickson, heard a heart murmur. Further testing showed Dawn had Mitral Valve Prolapse, a congenital heart defect. She was told she had a moderately leaking heart valve and would need to have surgery in 1-5 years.  The following year, test results showed Dawn’s Mitral Valve was severely leaking, and she would need surgery as soon as possible. Dawn did have some shortness of breath, but passed it off as not spending enough time at her work out routine. Dawn qualified for the new robotic surgery, that Mayo in Rochester, MN had started performing, a year prior. She had her heart valve repaired, in January of 2017. The healing process has been a much longer journey than Dawn anticipated however, she is thankful that her heart is now functioning as perfect as possible. She has less than a 5% chance of ever having to have Mitral Valve surgery again.   Had Dawn not been religious about seeing her doctor, each year for her annual physical, this heart issue may not have been caught in time, to make Dawn a Survivor, of this Congenital Heart Disease.  

Open Your Heart

By supporting Go Red, you inspire women to make healthy lifestyle changes, mobilize communities, and shape policies to save lives. When you attend a luncheon and get involved as a volunteer and supporter, you help to improve the health of women in your community. You make it possible for more women to receive the lifesaving information they need about their risk for heart disease and stroke and empower them to live stronger, healthier lives.

Thank you for opening your heart to support Go Red For Women.