NFL sideline reporter Jen Hale has disclosed a worrying heart diagnosis.
Hale, now 46, was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition when she was 38 and spoke about it in a recent interview.
The popular NFL on FOX reporter has dilated cardiomyopathy disease, which can make it difficult for the heart to pump blood as it thins and stretches the ventricle. She told PEOPLE her FOX Sports coworker Ronde Barber noticed something was wrong with her back in 2016 because she was sweating a lot and had trouble breathing.
Barber, a former NFL star, asked Hale to seek treatment.
The 46-year-old reporter sought medical attention after Barber’s urging and found out she was dealing with something way more serious than she expected.
“Just rolling my suitcase, I was pouring sweat,” she said. “I was huffing and puffing. He was the one who looked at me and said, ‘Uh-uh, something’s wrong.'”
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Hale was given five years to live after she was diagnosed but has beaten the odds.
“The right side was taking in enough blood, but the left side wasn’t pumping out enough. If you think of your heart like a rubber band, and it expands and pops back, and expands and pops back when it beats, mine wasn’t popping back,” she explained. “The left side was big, and floppy and barely moving.”
Hale also discussed her ordeal on FOX News over the weekend, revealing her heart was at 16 percent efficiency when she was diagnosed.
“I didn’t know my family history,” she said, “I was in my 30s and female, it couldn’t be me, right? I ignored the symptoms for years.”
Jen Hale Is On Medication For The Rest Of Her Life
Jen Hale’s father and grandfather both died from the same heart condition. She takes two sets of pills every day and will be doing so for the rest of her life.
She is now urging women to take their health seriously and to pay attention to their bodies, pointing out that heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women.
“If you have those signs, do not ignore them. Take your health seriously,” she warns.
Also Read: PHOTOS: NFL Sideline Reporter Erin Andrews Reveals A Side Of Her Life That We Rarely Get To See
