At 73 years old, Marg can often be found in her garden, hauling soil bags and pulling weeds for nearly 15 hours a week. With her active lifestyle and busy schedule, she never imagined that heart failure would put her life in jeopardy. Thanks to the quick work of Southlake Health’s Regional Cardiac Care Program, it didn’t.
“They saved my life three times,” says Marg, a grateful patient and Southlake donor who decided to give back in honour of the dedicated teams of clinicians who cared for her in 2024.
Marg’s journey began in September. After weeks of feeling exhausted and short of breath, she went to her family doctor, who immediately sent her to Southlake’s Emergency Department. The clinicians and staff in the ED acted quickly to stabilize Marg. They engaged Southlake’s leading edge Regional Cardiac Care Program, where she was diagnosed with an atrial flutter, a type of abnormal heart rhythm that can lead to cardiac arrest. Marg urgently needed a cardioversion (a low-energy medical shock treatment) to correct it.
During the many diagnostic tests to prepare Marg for the cardioversion, doctors also discovered one of her heart’s valves was damaged and determined she would need open-heart surgery to correct the issue. The night before she was to return home, Marg was recovering from surgery when she went into asystolic arrest — her heart stopped. Cardiac nurses jumped into action, performing CPR for over 12 minutes to save Marg’s life.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have my mom — my person — with me today without the care she received at Southlake,” says Karen, Marg’s only child.
Throughout the three weeks Marg received care at Southlake, undergoing a variety of diagnostic tests, procedures, and treatment in Southlake’s specialized Cardiac units, one thing consistently stood out to her — the personal and compassionate approach to leading edge care.
“It was so clear that Southlake staff pour their heart into their work,” she says. In all her interactions with her doctors, nurses, staff, and volunteers, Marg never felt confused or anxious. The ongoing communication and caring support from every Southlake staff member helped her feel calm and hopeful and always informed about what was happening. “I felt like everything was going to be okay. They’re taking care of me.”
Marg was able to go home just one week after her life was saved, following a final surgical procedure to implant a dual pacemaker that would regulate her heartbeat going forward. Thanks to the incredible care of Southlake’s Cardiac Team, she spent the holidays with her three grandchildren and extended family — 42 people who would have felt devastating loss if Southlake’s experts hadn’t acted quickly and decisively. Shares Marg, “If it wasn’t for the absolutely lifesaving care of Southlake’s clinicians, I might not have been around for that holiday with my family. I am so immensely grateful.”
In gratitude for the care she received, Marg made a heartfelt donation to Southlake to support other patients receiving the same phenomenal care that she did. For Heart Month this February, she encourages others to also consider donating what they can to the program that saved her life and thousands of others each year.
“You never know what can happen, but you want Southlake there if something does.”
