For me, Heart Awareness Month is personal. A lot of you don’t know this, but I had emergency heart surgery at 19. I fainted a few days prior, but I was too afraid to tell anyone but my cousin as I was hoping it was just a 1 time thing. I went on to play basketball like I’d normally do in the offseason to prepare and stay at the peak of my game. However, I kept feeling weak, extremely tired (sluggish) and I was frustrated I couldn’t just shake it off. Finally I told my cousin to take me to the hospital, immediately the Dr. quickly advised my cousin to call the family to the hospital as I need to undergo lifesaving surgery. I was lucky that I fainted when I did, as it could have been a lot worse if I had continued to ignore the symptoms. Heart Awareness Month is important to me because it serves as a reminder of the importance of taking care of our hearts. It’s not just about eating right and exercising, but also being aware of our family history and listening to our bodies. I encourage ...