You're the Cure on the Hill Advocate Spotlight: Emily Block

We're just a few days away from You're the Cure on the Hill 2009. We continue to share stories of advocates who will be joining us in Washington D.C. to ask Members of Congress to prioritize healthcare reform and fund heart disease and stroke research and prevention programs. Today, meet... Emily Block from California!

From Emily:
It is rare that a twenty-year-old can say that she has learned to read and walk twice in her life, but I can. I have had three strokes that have dramatically changed my life. When I was nineteen, I had heart surgery and at twenty I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, a little known and debilitating cardiovascular and neurological condition that is pushing the limits of research. I have had a challenging journey that is both frustrating and amazing, as I have seen both the limits and the strength in myself and others.

I have personally benefited from past research and current American Heart Association programs and I would like to help expand support for the programs that might help others like me in the future. I have thoroughly enjoyed volunteering for the American Heart Association and participating in San Luis Obispo’s Heart Walk. Participating in the American Heart Association’s Congressional Heart and Stroke Lobby Day will be a wonderful opportunity that will allow me to take my commitment for the fight against heart disease and stroke to the next level.

Stay tuned for more You're the Cure on the Hill advocate profiles throughout the week...