Shenna Gum of Springdale routinely makes the drive to Conway for follow-up visits with Rimsha Hasan, MD. Dr. Hasan practices at the Conway Regional Cardiovascular Clinic.

“Dr. Hasan is fabulous. I have a great relationship with Conway Regional and I would drive from anywhere to see her,” said Gum who moved to Springdale when her husband, Allen, became the baseball coach at Shiloh Christian High School in 2024.

Gum, 54, has had a stroke and five stents. She has battled Type I diabetes since she was four years old and has a family history of heart disease.

Dr. Hasan performed two stents on her heart in 2020 and another in October of 2024.

Gum cautions women about how deceptive symptoms of heart disease can be. At age 39, she was experiencing tightness in her chest when her family doctor sent her to a cardiologist. The same tightness that could have been diagnosed as anxiety was caused by 95 percent blockage of her left anterior coronary artery. The artery is often called the “widow maker” because of the high mortality rating when it becomes blocked. A stent saved Gum’s life.

“I didn’t feel like an elephant was sitting on my chest; it was more of an unusual tightness. Symptoms for women are more deceptive. If you notice a change, get it checked out,” she said.

 Other symptoms include sudden pain in the arm or neck or unusual difficulty in exercising. “If you can’t do the activity that you can normally do, you could be having symptoms of heart disease,” said Gum.

“I have learned to be very tuned into my body,” said Gum. She works hard to prevent future cardiac issues. “Doctor Hasan told me I have to reduce the inflammation in my body by managing my blood sugar, exercising, and eating a clean diet,” she said. Exercise includes walking three to four miles per day.