CHARLOTTE, N.C. | Last week, celebrity fitness trainer, former host of “The Biggest Loser” and heart attack survivor, Bob Harper, joined Charlotte advocacy groups to meet local heart attack survivors as he continues his multi-city tour with Survivors Have Heart.
The event took place at the Marriott Southpark where local advocacy groups, Healthcare Providers, legislators and others were invited to hear Bob’s story, compelling insights from local survivors, and learn about resources available to them in the Charlotte community.
As a health and fitness expert and a best-selling author, Bob Harper is widely known for inspiring audiences nationwide to get fit. He was the picture of health. Bob never considered that a heart attack could happen to him. But it did. “It was hugely shocking to me,” Bob reveals. “I learned a lot about myself.”
“People need to be very aware that we are all susceptible," Bob shared.
Since surviving his heart attack that occurred while he was at the gym in 2017, Bob has been committed to helping his fellow survivors find purpose in their journey and live their healthiest lives. Bob helped pioneer the Survivors Have Heart program last year, just 9 months after his heart attack. Teaming up with AstraZeneca, this initiative to celebrate survivorship and provide support for survivors and their loved ones.
While changes to his diet and exercise routine are an important part of his physical recuperation, Bob credits further education with helping him evolve his mindset and believes this plays an equally important role. That’s why he’s committed to help other survivors find the support and encouragement they need. This year he is traveling across the country, connecting with survivors to share the lesser-known, emotional recovery that goes along with surviving a heart attack.
In an interview with Creative Loafing, Bob discussed the importance of emotional recovery for survivors. “During recovery there’s an emotional component of building a new relationship with your heart. After my heart attack I was having to find a way to trust my heart again and that’s where this whole campaign came about. We’re coming together in these town hall meetings with survivors and their caregivers and we tell our stories, and we learn from each other. And I do believe that words have power. Not only for people going through it but the people around them too.”
Taking a proactive approach to your health is paramount. Not only for you, but for your loved ones.
“The word courage comes to mind. The courage to go to your doctor and get checked out. It’s for your own good and your own health.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most ethnicities in the United States, including African Americans, Hispanics, and whites. For American Indians or Alaska Natives and Asians or Pacific Islanders, heart disease is second only to cancer.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors.
Heart attacks have several major warning signs and symptoms:
• Chest pain or discomfort.
• Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.
Looking at the next five years, Bob hopes to expand Survivors Have Heart across the country.
“What I hope is that we have the means and power to take this to more cities and make it bigger. What I have realized just starting this small tour is that it’s really doing a lot of good for people and there are so many people in need of our assistance and care. Taking this to another level will be so powerful in many ways.”
Following his stop in Charlotte, Bob is headed to both Nashville and San Antonio later this year. From wellness and weight loss to heart health and emotional recovery, Bob is making it his purpose to save lives.
Register online with Survivors Have Heart and learn more about life after a heart attack. You’ll receive a copy of Bob’s 6 Survivor Basics, a guide featuring Bob Harper’s helpful tips and survivor philosophy, with additional valuable information about managing heart health and updates on future Survivors Have Heart efforts.
The event took place at the Marriott Southpark where local advocacy groups, Healthcare Providers, legislators and others were invited to hear Bob’s story, compelling insights from local survivors, and learn about resources available to them in the Charlotte community.
As a health and fitness expert and a best-selling author, Bob Harper is widely known for inspiring audiences nationwide to get fit. He was the picture of health. Bob never considered that a heart attack could happen to him. But it did. “It was hugely shocking to me,” Bob reveals. “I learned a lot about myself.”
“People need to be very aware that we are all susceptible," Bob shared.
Since surviving his heart attack that occurred while he was at the gym in 2017, Bob has been committed to helping his fellow survivors find purpose in their journey and live their healthiest lives. Bob helped pioneer the Survivors Have Heart program last year, just 9 months after his heart attack. Teaming up with AstraZeneca, this initiative to celebrate survivorship and provide support for survivors and their loved ones.
While changes to his diet and exercise routine are an important part of his physical recuperation, Bob credits further education with helping him evolve his mindset and believes this plays an equally important role. That’s why he’s committed to help other survivors find the support and encouragement they need. This year he is traveling across the country, connecting with survivors to share the lesser-known, emotional recovery that goes along with surviving a heart attack.
In an interview with Creative Loafing, Bob discussed the importance of emotional recovery for survivors. “During recovery there’s an emotional component of building a new relationship with your heart. After my heart attack I was having to find a way to trust my heart again and that’s where this whole campaign came about. We’re coming together in these town hall meetings with survivors and their caregivers and we tell our stories, and we learn from each other. And I do believe that words have power. Not only for people going through it but the people around them too.”
Taking a proactive approach to your health is paramount. Not only for you, but for your loved ones.
“The word courage comes to mind. The courage to go to your doctor and get checked out. It’s for your own good and your own health.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most ethnicities in the United States, including African Americans, Hispanics, and whites. For American Indians or Alaska Natives and Asians or Pacific Islanders, heart disease is second only to cancer.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors.
Heart attacks have several major warning signs and symptoms:
• Chest pain or discomfort.
• Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.
Looking at the next five years, Bob hopes to expand Survivors Have Heart across the country.
“What I hope is that we have the means and power to take this to more cities and make it bigger. What I have realized just starting this small tour is that it’s really doing a lot of good for people and there are so many people in need of our assistance and care. Taking this to another level will be so powerful in many ways.”
Following his stop in Charlotte, Bob is headed to both Nashville and San Antonio later this year. From wellness and weight loss to heart health and emotional recovery, Bob is making it his purpose to save lives.
Register online with Survivors Have Heart and learn more about life after a heart attack. You’ll receive a copy of Bob’s 6 Survivor Basics, a guide featuring Bob Harper’s helpful tips and survivor philosophy, with additional valuable information about managing heart health and updates on future Survivors Have Heart efforts.