Reviews & awards

HeartSisters.NECKLACE

“Congratulations on a decade of improving women’s lives, calling out injustice and persisting as a clear voice for patients.”

Dr. Sharonne Hayes, Cardiologist, founder of the Mayo Women’s Heart Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Want to read some of the great reviews of my book (A Woman’s Guide to Living with Heart Disease, Johns Hopkins University Press, November 2017)?  You know you do! Check them out here!

Screen Shot 2016-08-29 at 4.21.44 PMDr. James Beckerman, Cardiologist, Providence Heart & Vascular Institute, Oregon

.

 

“What a great website you have!  I am an RN in Ontario with an interest in women with heart disease. I too was shocked and appalled upon realizing the disparity that exists between the research and care that has been provided for women with heart disease in comparison with men. Once again, congratulations on a wonderful resource for all women.”

Sheila Rizza, RN, BScN, CNCC(C) MN (c)

 

“We love your blog. We’ve been getting e-mails about it from Heart and Stroke Foundation staff across the country. You have a very loyal following at the Foundation! I just wanted to let you know how much we value your efforts to educate women on this important subject.”

Kathryn  Sutton, Heart and Stroke Foundation, BC & Yukon

 

“The best heart blog on the web. This one stands out. The articles are well-written, with reliable information in a good-looking website. I will be linking to more of these articles in the future.”

Dr. Stephen Parker, Cardiac Psychologist, Alaska

 

“When Carolyn Thomas notified me that an article I wrote on Five Tips For Living Well With Chronic Illness was going to be featured on her blog, I was thrilled!  I love Heart Sisters and it is a real honor to be mentioned here. Whether you are coping with heart disease, another chronic illness or are dealing with the chronic issues of living, you will find a caring and understanding voice at Heart Sisters.”

Dr. Elvira Aletta, Clinical Psychologist, New York

 

“You inspire me. Your wisdom, experience, knowledge about not only cardiac health but life in general contribute to an awesome website! You are a Canadian heroine.”

Dr. Barbara Keddy, Professor Emerita, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia

.

Heart Sisters is a terrific resource for women’s heart health, and a great-looking website.”

Suzanne O’Malley, Senior Research Associate, Yale University Heart Study

.

 “I can’t say enough good things about the Heart Sisters blog by Carolyn Thomas.  CT, a heart attack survivor-turned-heart health evangelist, offers women (and men) clear, concise and personalized information on our leading killer. Kudos to you, Carolyn. Your work is soothingly anti-inflammatory. Serving the greater good always is.”

Dr. John Mandrola MD, Cardiac Electrophysiologist, Kentucky

.

“You are doing a dynamite job.  I love both of your blogs a lot, read every new post – and learn tons from you. You help people to assume responsibility for their own health, while teaching them to trust themselves above anyone else.  I’m very impressed with what you have done. Keep on doing it!”

Dr. Ruth Simkin MD, Victoria, B.C.

.

Heart Sisters is a compelling blog from a health advocate with heart disease. Carolyn Thomas is a public speaker with a background in communications and journalism, which is perhaps why her blog is so enjoyable to read.  If you’re looking for a heart disease blog that goes beyond exercise and food tips, this may be the one. Carolyn doesn’t only write about the physical aspects, but also the emotional and mental ones, like dealing with post-heart attack depression.

Healthlines, 10 Best Heart Disease Blogs of 2015

“Clearly a project of care and passion. While not a trained physician, Carolyn possesses a tremendous ability to communicate with clarity. Her website is beautifully designed and definitely worthy of our ‘Best-of’ list.”

Pacific Medical Training, 2012 Best of Cardiac & Heart Websites

.

“I’m so impressed with your website. I’ve been a heart patient for 20 years and I have never seen such a comprehensive, patient-oriented addressing of issues – and I’ve been looking for a long time. Kudos to you!”

Joanne McIntosh, heart patient

.

 

“Love the website. Critical, but warm-hearted and funny. Thank you!” 

Richard Gamlin, Senior Nurse, Marie Curie Cancer Care, U.K.

.

.

“I think Heart Sisters should be required reading for all cardiology fellows.”

Dr. Iris Thiele Isip Tan MD, Internist-Endocrinologist, Manila, Philippines

.

“Your website really is terrific.  You write more – and more in depth – on cardiovascular disease than any journalist in the mainstream media.”

Anne Mullens, health journalist, editor, author, Santé Communications Group

,

“Carolyn Thomas at Heart Sisters has a good and highly critical eye – the patients’ perspective to keep us on our toes.”

Dr. Amer Johri MD, Cardiologist, Queen’s University, Ontario

.

“I had a heart attack and cardiac arrest at the age of 41.  I went online looking for information, but found all of it was geared towards the retired community.  One site I did find was yours, and it inspired me.  I liked that you were focusing on a specific audience: women with heart disease.  That’s when I decided to start my own blog, focused on younger victims of heart disease. Again, thank you for your site and your inspiration.”

Paul Maher, heart attack survivor, HeartGeek

.

“When I feel myself sliding too deeply into despair, I go to your Heart Sisters site and scan for topics that meet my ‘burning need’ of the moment. Your writing always gives me some fight. . . good energy.  I thank you for that.”

Jaynie Martz, heart attack survivor

.

“I know you by your writing, and I consider you provocative but very fair – your columns are more about light than heat, and that’s one reason I think you’re so respected.”

John Novack, Inspire.com

.

 “A much better source of information than the American Heart Association or Go Red For Women sites in my opinion is the blog of Carolyn Thomas entitled Heart Sisters. Carolyn survived a misdiagnosed heart attack and her site is a wealth of information on women and heart disease. Her posts are well researched and informative.”

Dr. Anthony Pearson MD The Skeptical Cardiologist, St Louis, MO

.

“A knowledge translator who helps audiences understand the information being given and how it may affect or help patients, Carolyn Thomas’ popular Heart Sisters blog helps to bridge the knowledge gap between health professionals and patients, including a patient-friendly glossary of cardiology terminology and acronyms, and lay translations of complex medical answers to common heart health-related questions.”

Screen Shot 2015-05-27 at 9.38.17 PMVancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC

.

“Love your blog. It is very well done. I am a cardiologist and a writer, and I find these entries original and poignant. Thanks for submitting something wonderful in the noisy blogosphere.”

Dr. Richie Smith, Cardiologist, New York City

.

“Carolyn Thomas of Heart Sisters is one of the only true high-profile patient advocate celebrities we have who is home-grown in Canada.”

Pat Rich, health journalist, Ottawa

.

“If there is a silver lining, it sounds like there is no one better than you to call attention to the double-edged sword for women – under-recognition of classic heart attack, and treating all chest pain as if it’s all from classic myocardial infarction. I really enjoy your website and will certainly direct patients there.”

Dr. Erica Spatz, Cardiologist, Yale University

.

“At the top of my bookmarks is a website titled Heart Sisters.  I do not have heart disease – although as a woman in her 60’s with Type 1 diabetes, I know that I am at risk. The appeal of this website for me has less to do with heart disease and more to do with the shared experiences of women (really all people) living with a chronic disease.”

Laddie Lindahl, Test Guess and Go, Minnesota

.

 

“I love your blog!   I thoroughly enjoyed your Top 10 Tips on How to Treat your Patients.”  Keep up your wonderful work!”

Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, NYU School of Medicine. New York City

.

“Your blog has been a tremendous help to me.  It took three years to get serious attention paid to my worsening unstable angina, and if it had not been for the validation your writing gave me, I would have given up trying to be heard or to get appropriate care. Your indirect but wonderful support led to me a GP and a cardiac specialist who eventually validated my concerns.  Just knowing that you totally understood what I was going through – the discounts, trivialization, ignoring and condescending dismissals, particularly in the E.R. – made me hang in there no matter how bad they were.  I can’t tell you how greatly I admire your achievement and how much your writing meant to me during those awful years.  I am immensely grateful for what you do.”

Anna, heart patient

Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 6.20.28 AM.png
It isn’t every day you get a thank you note from the British Medical Journal!
.

‘Through Heart Sisters, Carolyn Thomas takes complex questions about heart health and translates them into easy-to-understand terms that everyone can comprehend. Carolyn is helping to address the cardiology gender gap by educating readers about their own heart health.”

Medical News Today, 10 Best Heart Disease Blogs 2017

.

“Very glad you’ve qualified to attend medical conferences as a blogger, Carolyn. As a heart attack survivor, I rely on you for a heads up on new discoveries, research and insight into all things heart-related. You can always be counted upon to make medical-ese patient-friendly and to give us the straight goods.”

Judy, heart patient

.

“Thanks so much for such a fabulously informative and engaging site. I teach a graduate course in chronic health conditions from a complexity theory and person-centred care perspective. I want to let you know that I refer my students to your site to read your story and advice to health professionals. You are so direct and clear in your statements to clinicians.”

Dr. Yoni Luxford, University of New England, Australia

.

“Carolyn, you write eloquently about life changing health. I don’t have heart disease, but you could substitute ‘kidney’ and we are the same. Thank you!”

Susan, kidney transplant patient

.

♥  ♥  ♥

.
I was one of 20 people from seven countries honoured by Our Bodies Ourselves for our advocacy work in promoting women’s health
health_heroes_logo_1a

Screen Shot 2018-09-04 at 1.14.55 PM♥  NOTE FROM CAROLYN: My book, A Woman’s Guide to Living with Heart Disease” reads like a “Best of Heart Sisters” collection. You can ask for it at your local library or favourite bookshop, or order it online (paperback, hardcover or e-book) at Amazon.   Or if you order it directly from my publisher, Johns Hopkins University Press (use the code HTWN), you will save 20% off the list price.

♥  ♥  ♥

.
One of ShareCare’s
.

.

Screen Shot 2018-04-16 at 10.28.52 PM

.

  Thank you so much for visiting Heart Sisters – I appreciate it! Find  more examples of media coverage of my story about heart attack misdiagnosis and survival

 
.

♥  ♥  ♥

.