Today is National Wear Red Day – an annual day, created by the American Heart Association, for spreading awareness of cardiovascular disease + raising funds for heart-health research. DYK one woman dies every 80 seconds from heart disease in the U.S.? 💔

It’s also a day close to the hearts (pun intended) at Nephron Pharmaceuticals, a nationally-leading, woman-owned drug manufacturing company based here in West Columbia. In 2015, Xanna Bailey, daughter of CEO Lou Kennedy, had a stroke. She was only 22 years old. It was due to Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS) – which she didn’t even know she had until her stroke. Luckily, she was taken to the ER at Lexington Medical Center, and with the ongoing help of her doctors, made a full recovery.

Xanna Bailey | Photo by @xannabailey

Since then, she + her mom Lou have gone all in for heart-health awareness in the Midlands. Nephron Pharmaceuticals is a primary sponsor of the #LifeIsWhy movement from the American Heart Association, and they sponsor events like the annual Midlands Heart Ball (Lou was the Chair for this year’s event) and the upcoming Heart Walk on March 24. They’ll also participate in the 2017-2018 Midlands Go Red Luncheon on May 18 – and you can bet everyone is wearing red today. 💪

Nephron Pharmaceuticals team wearing red for heart health | Photo courtesy Nephron Pharmaceuticals

The connection Nephron has to heart health is personal, but professional, too. A lot of the people that buy Nephron’s respiratory medications from hospitals and pharmacies are prescribed those medications for their heart and lung problems.

Xanna is still affected by her heart disease. She has to be careful about any medication she takes (no decongestants; no added estrogen; nothing much more than Tylenol) and follows a new, heart-healthy diet of hormone-free products. Sometimes, her brain still blocks words that she had to practice during her six months of speech therapy post-stroke, and she still has quick, debilitating “thunderclap migraines.” It’s something that will stay with her forever.

In S.C., heart disease is the #2 killer – leading to stroke, heart attack, arrhythmias, angina + more. You can proactively manage your own heart health by stopping smoking (Lexington Medical Center is holding a cessation workshop this month), exercising ~30 mins/day, 4-5 days/week and eating a heart-healthy diet low in fat, salt + cholesterol.