The American Heart Association Presents the ‘Go Red Survivor Class’ – Ondrea Grippe Getz
Meet Ondrea Grippe Getz - She's a member of the 2016 'Go Red Survivor Class,' and a survivor of open heart surgery. This is her story...
Ondrea was born with a heart issue she didn't know she had. It became apparent when she was just seven-years-old.
She was just a child playing in gym class when her teacher called her over. The teacher asked to see Ondrea's nail polish, but she wasn't wearing any. That caused a little bit of concern, and the teacher called Ondrea's parents and asked them to take her to the doctor.
It didn't seem like a big deal, until two weeks later. While the family was enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, a friend asked if Ondrea had eaten a blue lollipop, because the inside of her lips were blue. She didn't.
They decided to go to the doctor, and within two months Ondrea had open heart surgery.
Ondrea says she lives a pretty normal life now. She has two kids, and she makes sure to see her cardiologist every year. In the video (above), Ondrea explains why she is a part of the American Heart Association's "Go Red Survivor Class." If you would like to honor her as a local survivor, you can donate here.
Each week, we spotlight another local survivor as we get closer to the "Go Red for Women Luncheon" happening May 4th. You can get ticket information and more details at the link below:
You can also hear other survivor stories in the 2016 American Heart Association's "Go Red Survivor Class." Just click the button below:
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