A Heart Story That Inspires Us

Supporting a Cause Close to Our Hearts

In its 99th year, the American Heart Assocation is an organization with an incredible history of progressing heart health research and helping heart disease patients. Heart disease is the number one killer globally, and even when complications of heart disease don't result in death, they often significantly diminish a patient's quality of life. The Association's size and scale enables significant positive impact in the form of medical research, local fundraising, CPR training, and advocacy, with the ultimate goal of saving and improving as many lives as possible. When the organization launched the Life is Why™ campaign in 2014 to bring national retailers into the life-saving advocacy, it allowed companies like Sea Bags to make an impact.

Sharing Your Heart Story

One way the Association makes an enduring impact against heart disease is the organization's practice of educating through the inspiring chronicles of survivors. In past years we told the stories of Nicole Hardy and Shelly Afthim, two of Sea Bags' own survivors. This year, Shelly and Nicole were fortunate to meet another inspiring local Maine heart disease survivor and share their collective journeys to heart health.

Brylie Young was only 30 years old and a brand-new mother when a heart murmur was detected while being discharged from the hospital after giving birth to her daughter. Following a few more tests, this otherwise healthy new mom learned she had sinus venosus ASD, a less common heart defect which requires surgery. A three-sport athlete growing up, Brylie transferred that passion into a career in strength and conditioning, contracted to work with student athletes at her alma mater. She never experienced any of the symptoms like breathlessness or fatigue commonly associated with heart disease, which only made accepting her condition that much more difficult. Brylie was thankful her heart defect was caught before anything traumatic happened, but she was also filled with trepidation to undergo open-heart surgery with a newborn at home. Despite the challenges, Brylie persevered and endured a lengthy recovery process with the support of family and friends. She credits her successful recovery to her entire support system, including her daughter, who was the only reason Brylie's condition was discovered—

Read on to learn more about the connections these three survivors share and how the American Heart Association has shaped their future heart health and perspectives on wellness.

Connecting Heartstrings

Sharing makes an impact

Nicole: "About a year after my heart surgeries I was part of the initial group of women who became spokeswomen for the Association in Maine. It was the first time I had written my heart story and shared my journey with heart disease. The experience was incredibly emotional and moving, and those moments of connection with other heart disease survivors are what bring to light how big of an impact the Association has. I went on to become very involved with the Association, serving on the Board of Directors for 6 years and was the first woman to walk in the Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection Fashion Show in New York City."

Shelly: "The group of women who are a part of this Go Red mission are bonded! There's at least 20 of us in the Portland area and seeing any of them feels like seeing an old friend. We're always there to support each other!"

Brylie: "My experience has changed how we talk to the kids at the school as a strength and conditioning professional working with student athletes. In fact, the athletic trainer at my school taught a CPR course this May and used my story to highlight that heart events are a real risk and can happen even to young, otherwise healthy people."

The value of connection

Nicole: "Brylie, I could walk by you on the street and neither of us would think for a second that either of us are heart disease survivors! These moments of connection are what make you realize the immense impact the American Heart Association has in getting all our mutual voices out there."

Shelly: "Every time you share your story, you have the potential to save somebody's life."

Brylie: "I had someone share their heart story with me days before I went in for surgery, and just to have someone who knew what I was going through, and to see them on the other side of their operation, gave me a sense of relief that I didn't know I needed."

A Nautical Tote Bag with Heart

Sea Bags is proud to support the life-saving efforts of the American Heart Association's Life Is Why™ Campaign. This year our design approach was simple: weaving a whimsical heartstring into our classic Breton Sailor Stripe pattern. We aimed to create a nautical tote bag that would resonate with heart disease survivors and supporters alike.

For every Sailor Stripe Heart Tote Bag sold from August 18, 2023, to September 30, 2023, we will donate 20% of the product price to the American Heart Association.