Title: No More Flatlines: A Wake-Up Call for Our Health, Society, and Planet

By Dr. Tomi Mitchell

She enters through the doors of the emergency room, unresponsive. Her heart has ceased to beat. Within moments, teams of doctors and nurses are battling to save her life. A defibrillator shocks her body. Compressions strike her chest. Her children stand nearby, holding onto each other with desperate hope. But it’s too late.

The woman on that gurney is a mother. A daughter. A friend. She also represents something larger—a reflection of the silent struggles women face, the fractures permeating our society, and the long-neglected cries of our planet.

This narrative is not an isolated incident in the emergency room. It serves as a pressing, collective call to action.

The Silent Killer: Women and Heart Disease

Heart disease ranks as the leading cause of death among women in the United States. Yet, many indicators go unnoticed or are misinterpreted, particularly in women. Unlike the dramatic heart attack depicted in films with excruciating chest pain and a collapsing figure, women’s symptoms are more subtle, frequently confused with indigestion, anxiety, or mere fatigue.

Symptoms may encompass:

– Exhaustion
– Breathlessness
– Lightheadedness
– Nausea
– Pain in the jaw, neck, or back
– Mild chest discomfort that fluctuates

These signs quietly build up, often failing to provoke concern. Women persist in their roles, caring for others, bearing emotional and physical loads without respite. Many only seek help when it’s too late.

As a physician, I have witnessed this repeatedly: patients attributing their heavy hearts to stress, unaware that their bodies are pleading for assistance.

Why Don’t Women Seek Help?

Various factors contribute to why women might postpone or avoid seeking medical assistance:

– They place familial duties and obligations above their own health.
– They normalize discomfort and exhaustion.
– Their symptoms are often dismissed by healthcare professionals.
– Economic constraints hinder access to care.

In essence, societal expectations and systemic disparities foster a culture where women’s health is neither respected nor prioritized. The loss isn’t solely personal—when mothers, daughters, and sisters are taken too soon, it reverberates through families, communities, and future generations.

Our Nation Is Flatlining

This mother’s experience mirrors a nation in decline.

We are a society wearied by relentless crises: political division, a beleaguered healthcare system, and a weakening social fabric. We overlook the signs just as she did.

– Gun violence.
– Racial and economic inequality.
– Deterioration of public trust.
– Climate change denial and inaction.

Each is a warning—sharp pains within the heart of democracy. Yet, we continue without intervention, neglecting the root causes.

Until we can’t anymore.

Mother Earth Is Hemorrhaging

Heart disease has not endangered only one life; the planet itself is on the brink.

From unparalleled wildfires destroying forests and homes to rising sea levels displacing families worldwide, Earth is crying out for help.

– Who hears the Amazon rainforest gasping for existence?
– Who notices the disappearance of seafood from our oceans?
– Who laments the 150 species that go extinct daily?

Climate change is a reality. It’s urgent. And like a heart attack, its indicators are often ignored—until disaster strikes.

What We Must Do: Prevention is Better Than Emergency Action

We do not wait until collapse to address a heart condition. We must treat societal and environmental issues with the same urgency and thoughtfulness:

1. Pay Attention

The indicators are evident. Just as fatigue and unexplained pressure signified the woman’s failing heart, inequality, environmental degradation, and civil unrest are signals of global dysfunction. Learn to see them. Identify them.

2. Use Your Voice

Silence equates to complicity. Raise your voice against injustice, advocate for climate policies, demand equitable healthcare, and challenge institutions profiting from inaction. One voice can resonate; many voices can ignite a movement.

3. Be Intentional

Every action—from your vote to your purchases—counts. Consider: Does this decision enhance the health of people and our planet or undermine it? When we act with intention, we pave the way for new possibilities for healing.

4. Take Action

Caring is not sufficient; we must take action. Support legislation favoring sustainability. Advocate for equitable healthcare access. Hold corporations accountable. Engage in mutual aid, volunteerism, and education.

5. Prioritize Health—Collectively

Individual wellness is intertwined with broader conditions. If your neighbor suffers, so will you. If your community breathes toxic air, so do you. Health equity, mental wellness, environmental responsibility, and community resilience are intimately linked.

No More Flatlines

As a mother. As a physician. As a participant in this wounded world—I refuse to remain silent.