Rebecca Trahan, Distance Runner
Channel: The Texas Heart Institute
Date: 2012-06-05

For distance runner Rebecca Trahan, logging miles and keeping her body fit have been
a way of life. Between running her miles and running her graphic design business, any
thought of heart disease was nowhere in the picture.

When she experienced a serious heart episode, she discounted it because of her high
fitness level, and even continued to exercise. But she had actually suffered a spontaneous dissection of her left main coronary artery, one of two arteries that feed blood to the heart muscles. It is a dangerous and relatively rare affliction.

Fortunately, she came to the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
where our doctors have trained to recognize and treat the most rare and complex cases
and the most critical emergencies. We used the latest advancements in treatments and
technology—many of which were developed here—to put Rebecca back on her feet.

She's logging miles again, moving ahead with her life and counseling others that
heart disease can put anyone at risk. Like countless others, Rebecca is living out the future she might not have had, thanks to our doctors, scientists and staff, who continue to log life-saving progress in the fight against cardiovascular disease.

There are many reasons U.S. News & World Report has ranked us among the top ten
heart centers in the nation for 21 consecutive years. Rebecca Trahan is one of them.