Number One Killer Of Women

SIOUX FALLS, SD - One every minute. A shocking rate and statistic no woman wants to be part of.

13-years-ago Linda Rabuck couldn't walk the halls of Sanford like this. She could barely catch her breath.

At just 47-years-old she was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Her lifestyle of always being on the go finally caught up with her. 

"I don't wanna lay down, I wanna keep going," Rabuck said.

It's what you'll hear from most women. But Rabuck is living proof that mothers, sisters and grandmothers need to listen to their bodies, especially their heart. 

"Women have so many things on their plate. They can't think of themselves, as long as they're feeling fine," Rabuck said.

Rabuck's congestive heart failure caused what's called cardiomyopathy. Her heart muscle has become inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should.

Because of that, she battles constant fatigue and now has a pacemaker and a defibrillator implanted in her chest. 

" That does give my family and I more confidence that I will live longer," Rabuck said. 

" She's doing very well right now and has good prognosis," Sanford Cardiologist Dr. Maria Stys said.

Rabuck's doctor at Sanford, Maria Stys, is the only female cardiologist in the state. It's that reason, she's made it part of mission to make sure every women understands their risk. 

"We fear that we might end up with breast cancer but we die a few times more frequently from heart disease than cancer," Stys said. 

And that's why Rabuck will continue to walk these hallways with co-workers every single day, increasing her heart rate and her heart health.

If you are wondering your risk of heart disease, use American Heart Association's high blood pressure Health Risk Calculator.