Heart health is personal for Newport News shipbuilder Chrysany Collier (E81). She watched as three of her grandparents and several other family members dealt with serious heart issues.

“My mom’s parents had a heart attack and a stroke three days apart from each other. They survived, but my grandpa became paralyzed on one side of his body. My grandma had a leaky valve in her heart after that so it led to many other complications which eventually led to her death,” she said. “I’m very passionate about heart awareness.”

That passion led Collier, who has been a shipbuilder for nearly 12 years, to participate in the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, which raises funds to save lives from heart disease and stroke – the No. 1 and No. 5 top causes of death in the U.S. Newport News Shipbuilding is a sponsor of the Hampton Roads Heart Walk.

Collier has served as E81’s Heart Walk coach for five years. As a coach, she works to raise awareness within the department, support fundraising goals and encourage shipbuilders to attend the event.

“We have a lot of supporters who are survivors or have family members who are survivors, and others who just care about their heart health,” she said. “I don’t really have to pull arms and legs to get people to come, but we would love more participation.”

Spreading awareness about the importance of heart health helps everyone, Collier said. “Knowledge is power,” she said. “Things like walking a little bit every day can help someone have a longer life and not have as many heart issues as other people in their families might have had.”

She encourages shipbuilders to sign up for the Heart Walk and come out to the Peninsula walk at Fort Monroe on Nov. 4 or the Southside walk at Chesapeake City Park on Nov. 11. To sign up, visit the Heart Walk website. All participants will receive a T-shirt.

“I’m very grateful that Newport News Shipbuilding and our leaders support the American Heart Association,” Collier said. “It’s near and dear to my heart that the company is committed to this endeavor.”