Rosie O'Donnell's Shocking Heart Attack: What Happened When She Refused to Listen to Her Body

One day, when actor and comedian Rosie O'Donnell was in her 50s, her body ached and her arms felt sore, but she pushed through the pain, not realizing she was having a massive heart attack. She had surgery to put a stent in her heart, which opened her eyes to the harsh reality of health issues. Since then, Rosie has become a vocal advocate for heart health and wellness. She is using her platform as a celebrity to spread awareness and break down stigmas surrounding the subject.

The experience left Rosie shaken, and she began to question why women, particularly those in menopause, are not given the serious attention they deserve when it comes to diagnosis and treatment. Instead of sweeping her heart attack under the rug, Rosie chose to use the experience as a lesson to inform others and show them that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Now, Rosie has made it a mission to make sure women's voices are heard in medical settings and their complaints taken seriously.

A crucial component in a patient's recovery, or a part of prevention altogether, can be the conversation they engage in with their doctor. Miscommunication can end in misdiagnosis and wrong treatment; so for those conversations to be effective, patient-doctor understanding is extremely important and patient expectations must match medical action. For so long, many doctors have leaned on false assumptions when dealing with older women – these include heart problems stemming from anxiety or feeling unwell has nothing to be worried about. Many female public figures now call out stereotypes that have contributed to these long-standing issues.

As awareness persists in the industry today, doctors can pay attention to particular risk factors – namely those that specifically go hand in hand with menopause. With their action plan updated to include menopause, along with more open dialogue and better expectations during patients' meetings, quality health care becomes less hindered by bias than in years prior. As years pass and research emerges regarding certain risks it would still be quite beneficial to further discuss as they learn more. Using scientific back-up and data in the dialogue may even alleviate certain 'incorrect ways of thinking.' Doctors and female public figures can get even female celebrities back on board with their campaign and also this encourages inquisitive learning and in theory men's voices as well. When female activism and voice shine bright in popular culture, it then becomes easier to shed light on female-based issues going unnoticed in today's demanding world as there may be lesser issues among women if female voices are prioritized by what can be described as 'equal rights based thinking,' for better health – socially sustained if we are also to think if new age societal adjustments make room for progress and not keep the public stagnant.

Going on board with shining female voices will in any way define opportunities available to the patients – the aim is medical practice in hopes today becomes far more unbiased and just. That then essentially, could shine other voices for medical analysis within research to make itself a sustainable resource of quality information and voices no matter sex or age difference because of its impact which brings opportunities to what you can describe as unearthing very progressive methods in today's rapidly fast-paced society, especially that of our time and age.