Dr. Sharonne Hayes, Founder of Women’s Heart Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota

The cardiology world is vast. The issues of that pumping piece of physical machinery in your chest that keeps you alive is far more complex than any of us in the nonmedical community can imagine. While the human anatomy between a man and a woman have tremendous similarities, it differs greatly when it pertains to the heart and the issues that are identified as heart disease.

This brings us to Dr. Sharonne Hayes, the founder of the Women's Heart Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Hayes is a slender, dynamic, engaging 54-year old champion of women's heart issues. She has become the "go-to" doc in America with any heart issues that women may face. So why is this? Clearly being the founder of the Women’s Heart Clinic at the Mayo Clinic puts her in a unique position because, as we know, the Mayo Clinic and their reputation for cutting-edge, state of the art medical understanding is a well-known fact.

As we observed from the recent WomenHeart Science and Leadership Symposium for Women with Heart Disease hosted by Dr. Hayes and the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Hayes genuinely cares for her fellow sisters. Humble and approachable, she does everything in her power to help women navigate through what can be a lonely and scary journey to understanding their heart disease. As Dr. Hayes points out, "whether it be lifestyle, genetics, or a birth defect, heart disease is by far the number one killer of women in America." Our time with her over the weekend included an in- depth personal interview which will clearly be the hallmark piece in our documentary series, "The Embrace of Aging: the female perspective of growing old." We are proud and honored to have Dr. Sharonne Hayes as our heart guru.

Having called Rochester, Minnesota home for virtually her entire life, the second generation Mayo Clinic doctor works tirelessly to push the needle forward in women’s cardiovascular health. The numbers are staggering. 1-in-3 women will have some form of heart disease. The difficult aspect of heart disease is that it is not visible like cancer. According to Dr. Hayes, “it is a silent killer that women need to be proactive about.”

It is important that women learn to recognize and listen to the signs that their bodies are giving them when it comes to their heart. They have to put the role of “caregiver” to the side when it comes to their own heart health. "This," she says, “is one of the biggest challenges that women face.”

Dr. Hayes has been involved with WomenHeart since 1998 as a scientific advisor, board member, and volunteer. As this uphill battle continues to try and educate women as well as make them comfortable in discussing their heart disease, Dr. Sharonne Hayes will undoubtedly be on the frontline. From our time spent with her during her candid conversation, to seeing her interactions with the women of the WomenHeart Science and Leadership Symposium for Women with Heart Disease, we know that we are just as fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet with her as women are to have her working so diligently for them.