Hearts Around the World: 11 Miles, 11 Stories, One Heart Path In May 2025, I walked 11 miles through the streets of Geneva to honor the millions of people living with childhood-onset heart conditions, Type 1 Diabetes, and other chronic conditions. But this walk was also deeply personal. Each mile carried a story, including some from my...
Amy Verstappen has been a patient advocate and health educator since 1996, when her own challenges living with a complex heart defect led her to the Adult Congenital Heart Association, where she served as president from 2001 to 2013. She has served as an advisor to the Centers for Disease Control the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; and the International Society for Adult Congenital Cardiac Disease, and worked with congenital heart patient and professional groups throughout the USA and the world. Ms. Verstappen received a Masters in Education in 1990 and a Masters in Global Health in 2019.