Nationwide — Lakeisha Brown, a 44-year-old African American mother from Houston, Texas, developed severe heart failure after early symptoms were initially overlooked by doctors. She later discovered she would need a heart transplant after her condition rapidly worsened over several years.
In early 2018, Brown began noticing chest pressure when lying down, along with migraines, nausea, and heart palpitations. At the time, she was working full-time at the Houston Housing Authority while also building a catering business. When the symptoms continued, she went to urgent care. Staff suggested anxiety, but still recommended she see a cardiologist.
A heart scan later showed her heart was only pumping at about 20 percent, well below the normal range of 55 to 70 percent. Doctors diagnosed her with nonischemic cardiomyopathy, a condition that weakens the heart muscle and reduces blood flow. She was told she had the heart of a 90-year-old.
In May 2018, doctors implanted a pacemaker and prescribed medication to help control fluid buildup. Brown kept working and managing her daily life over the next few years while living with the condition.
In August 2021, she returned to the hospital after experiencing severe palpitations and nausea again. Tests at the emergency room showed she had suffered a heart attack. She was discharged after seven days with diuretics, but her symptoms did not improve.
By December 2021, Brown went back to the hospital with worsening symptoms. Doctors found her organs were starting to fail and her heart function had dropped to 6 percent. She was told she would need a heart, lung, and kidney transplant. The news came as a shock as she tried to process how quickly her condition had changed.
“I just could not believe that I went from, ‘Oh, you need a pacemaker’ to, ‘You’ve got, like, maybe nine months to live,’” Brown told Today. “I was devastated.”
In January 2022, doctors implanted a left ventricular assist device called the HeartMate 3 to help her heart pump blood while she waited for a transplant.
In September 2024, her left lung collapsed, which moved her higher on the transplant list. She received a new heart in November 2024. After the transplant, she experienced mild rejection, which doctors treated. The medication later caused diabetes.
Brown now runs her catering business full-time and works as a culinary instructor for girls aging out of foster care. She also supports men in transitional homes while rebuilding her strength and health.
She says earlier warning signs were missed over time. She now pays closer attention to her body and encourages others, especially women of color, to speak up during medical visits.
“There were so many things the doctors should have noticed and missed,” she says. “I will tell people to have someone (at your medical appointments) with you. If you don’t know what questions to ask, have someone there with you.”