Marion Swan had just finished her oat flakes when her chest began to hurt.

It was Saturday morning and the 67-year-old had just come back from her trip in New York so she figured it was just a sign of fatigue.

But on Sunday morning when breakfast sent her to bed with the sweats, her friend drove her immediately to the hospital, where Marion's heart stopped.

Like many women, the great-grandmother refused to think it was anything serious and many of her symptoms were similar to other diseases so she was not sure what was happening.

She said: "I survived because my partner took me straight to the hospital. The doctor told me it was the best decision because they were able to work on me right away.

"I thought I was just overtired, but I got up on Sunday and ate my oat flakes and felt the same pain in my chest. My girlfriend called me and I told her I wasn't really feeling good.

"I was sweating and the pain went through to my back. I was dizzy and nauseous.

"I had no idea it was a heart attack. My brother had a heart attack and died.

"When I took the death certificate to the doctor he said it was the same muscles in my brother that are damaged in me.

"My partner took me to the hospital and while in the emergency, they examined me.

"The doctors had gone out and my partner said my eyes went back and I made a strange noise.

"The doctors and nurses came running and shocked me. After they revived me, cause my heart had stopped, they told me I would be going to Johns Hopkins."

Marion was lucky because the difficulty in diagnosing women has led to far more dying from heart disease, according to Marion Balitian-Dill, deputy chairman of the Bermuda Heart Foundation (BHF).

Even doctors and nurses still struggle to diagnosis women which is why on February 15 — next Friday — the (BHF) is sponsoring Wear Red for Women's Hearts.

Mrs. Balitian-Dill, said the Foundation was trying to highlight the disease in women this year because of the lack of education and knowledge on the subject.

She said: "It's really part of the Bermuda Heart Foundation, the Women and Heart Disease Campaign work started in February 2006 to let them know their risk for heart disease is.

"Women still have the same classic signs as men, but many women also complain of indigestions, unexplained fatigue and nausea.

"That's why our outcomes for women who experience heart attacks are worse then men."

To bring about awareness the Bermuda Heart Foundation (BHF) will be sponsoring speakers and events all month.

The next event is tomorrow at CedarBridge Academy from 6 to 8 p.m. called "Cooking for a Healthier Heart."

Cooking is one of the changes in her life that Marion has made, trying to cut out as much sodium as possible — so no more chips for this great-grandmother.

She said: "I always thought I was good with eating. But now I make sure I don't add salt to my food, well maybe some to the water when I cook.

"I have to be very careful when I eat out."

Marion learned the types to eating healthy from classes offered through the Cardiac Care unit at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital following her shock.

And she credits the hard work of the nurses and doctors who cared for her the day she turned-up to the hospital and those who took her immediately to Johns Hopkins with her life.

After she was revived an air-ambulance shuttled Marion to the hospital abroad where she spent four days and had an operation to put stents — a wire mesh tube to prop open an artery — in her heart.

She believes her retirement from the General Post Office led her to slow down and without a routine she would miss days walking.

Marion, also had surgery on her stomach last summer, which meant she was less inclined to keep up her swimming which she regularly enjoys.

Her message to women is be strong — if you are worried about your symptoms don't wait!

She said: "Women especially might think they have gas or something like that.

"They never think it's going to be their heart.

"If there are women out there that have similar pains don't think it's gas or stress. It could be a heart attack and it's best to go and have it checked out."

For more information contact the Bermuda Heart Foundation at 295-3346 or attend one of the events on the Heart Month Calender.