Valerie Ramsey

“Doctors told us we were in a race with research,” Valerie says. Nature developed collateral blood vessels to temporarily overcome the lack of  blood flow created by Heather’s congenital heart defect knows as Tetralogy of Fallot. She weighed just 11 pounds at one year and by the age of nine, time had almost run out. Heather was getting too much un-oxygenated blood.

“Surgeons saved her life with a procedure developed just three months earlier,” Valerie explains. “She had a second open-heart operation at the age of 25, and then a few years later when that didn’t prove to be successful, she had a third procedure at Boston Children’s Hospital, this time to insert a stent into her pulmonary valve. Today she is 42-years-old and in perfect health because of research breakthroughs along the way."

Years later when Valerie developed a life-threatening erratic heartbeat, research saved her life as well. A defibrillator was implanted in her chest in 2000 to prevent sudden cardiac arrest. She is dedicated to sharing her family’s story to illustrate the importance of research funding and that is why she is involved in the Go Red For Women movement to raise awareness about women and heart disease.

She was the featured speaker at the Go Red For Women Luncheon held in Pebble Beach, California, last May and that has led to more invitations to share her story.

“I am a firm believer that life is what we create for ourselves,” Valerie notes. “We are never too old to have a new dream or to celebrate a new success.” 

Valerie and her husband Wally have been married for 48 years and lived until the late 1980s in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he was a teacher and they raised their six children.  Once the children were grown they relocated to Pebble Beach and Valerie sought a career.

She started as a clerk in the pro shop at the famous Pebble Beach Resorts and quickly moved into marketing. She wound up as public relations and media manager. She recently left that position after some 15 years. “I started my career in my 50s,” she explains.  “And then modeling followed when I was in my 60s…not exactly when most models launch their careers.”

Her responsibilities at Pebble Beach included overseeing all of the photo shoots that took place at the iconic resort complex. Valerie explains, “During one session I was ‘discovered’ by a Hollywood producer who liked my look. He asked for photos and I ignored him for some time,” she recalls. “But finally, my family said ‘what the heck, what do you have to lose?’”

Valerie’s positive attitude and healthy lifestyle contribute to her winning look. She took her battle with heart disease in stride and notes that her road to recovery was made possible not only by breakthrough medical procedures, but also through dedication to daily exercise, a healthy diet low in sodium and stress management.

Looking back she now recognizes she probably had symptoms of an irregular heart beat through the years. “I had a flutter occasionally in my chest,” she explains, “and with all my pregnancies there were times I lost my balance or was dizzy for a few seconds…but it never lasted so I never paid attention to it.”

In the third day of her new position as public relations manager at Pebble Beach Valerie began showing severe symptoms of heart trouble. She lost her balance, had trouble breathing and felt an erratic heartbeat. She believes stress had something to do with it. And it’s easy to understand why.

“Early in the morning on the first day in my new job, I was rushing to the 7^th hole to prepare for a photo shoot. I fell and broke my foot and sprained my ankle. The second day, I received a phone call from my gynecologist confirming that I had uterine cancer which had killed both my mother and grandmother. A compete hysterectomy was scheduled for the next week.”

Doctors then turned attention to Valerie’s heart issues. They determined that a virus had weakened her heart causing cardiomyopathy and that was complicated by an erratic heartbeat resulting in ventricular tachycardia.  She received a new device – which recorded her EKG and monitored her heart function while doctors discussed treatment options.

“Heart research provided new treatment options when I needed them,” she notes. “In 2000 a defibrillator was implanted in my chest to control my heartbeat and prevent cardiac arrest.”  Today Valerie is on heart medication and sees her cardiologist every six months. Her activity is not restricted in any way.

Once Valerie returned to her highly visible public relations position at Pebble Beach and as her modeling career was taking off a local newspaper did a story on her in the fall of 2006. It was picked up by national newswires, drew lots of attention and interview requests. Letters began pouring in from women all over the country telling Valerie what an inspiration she was and thanking her for sharing her story.

Valerie and Heather