Mojisola Atanmuyide

 This interview was facilitated by AstraZeneca as part of the Spotlight On Heart Failure awareness campaign.

For Mojisola (Moji) and her loved ones, her heart failure diagnosis put everything on hold. The day-to-day dynamic changed, and Moji found herself and her health becoming her family’s primary focus. Work became challenging to manage, and normal daily activities like cooking or taking her kids to the park became increasingly difficult to complete. Quickly, Moji realized she could either deny her diagnosis and live in her old habits or accept the situation and make changes to better live with the disease, one day at a time.

Moji chose the latter and has been living happily with her three children. Along the way, she made some lifestyle changes and worked closely with her cardiologist to learn how to better manage her heart failure. She joined support groups where she met people from different backgrounds, ages and perspectives on life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Moji’s routine was impacted as she was unable to meet with her support community, but she stayed determined to make the most of digital health tools available that helped her stay accountable even without her peers to lean on. To continue her cardio rehabilitation exercises at home, she found virtually guided routines on the internet. By improvising with the resources she had at home, Moji was able to continue managing her condition.

Now, Moji encourages those diagnosed with heart failure to walk hand in hand with their cardiologist. She suggests asking a lot of questions if someone diagnosed doesn’t understand the condition or how it can be managed. She believes if people don’t have the necessary information, they will miss the opportunity to improve their condition.

Recognising the symptoms of heart failure can be difficult because they are different for everyone. Moji went into the hospital after experiencing a series of breathlessness episodes that kept getting worse. Based on her experience, she recommends undergoing regular screening and taking any unusual symptoms seriously, quickly connecting with a medical expert to prevent further complications. She encourages those diagnosed to not spend time denying their diagnosis, but to be proactive in managing the condition, making questions and reaching out to healthcare professionals as needed.

Mojisola (Moji) Atanmuyide currently resides in London, United Kingdom with her family. After experiencing a series of breathlessness episodes during her third pregnancy, Moji was diagnosed with heart failure. In the beginning, she was concerned, knowing her mother had passed away from heart failure. To keep herself calm and focused, Moji chose to accept her diagnosis and take each day at a time. In her free time, Moji enjoys cooking, swimming, watching TV, and spending time with her three children.