"It's February and you will be bombarded – in a good way – with information about women and heart disease. If you are like me, you might observe, nod, and then move right on, thinking 'That's not my issue. That's about someone else.'

I was in denial myself back in 2001. My family medical history looks like this: Mom and sister: both had breast cancer. Dad and brother: both had heart disease. Even then, what did I think about? My risk of breast cancer, of course. I was a relatively thin, active woman who paid attention to what she ate. I couldn't be a candidate for a heart attack!"