Meet Kristy Sidlar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Sidlar.  

Hi Kristy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
We all have dates burned into our memories – our parents’ birthdays. Our wedding anniversary. The birthdates of our children. But the dates I remember most vividly are the dates when I almost died. 

The first was April 14, 1996, when I was teaching a fitness class and collapsed in front of my students. Fortunately, my blackout only lasted a handful of minutes and by the time the EMTs arrived, everything appeared to be fine. 

The second time was on my 31st birthday – Halloween, 1999. I was training for a triathlon, by myself, with no cell phone, lying on the side of the road fading in and out of consciousness for 45 minutes. Another cyclist finally came by and called the paramedics. My heart was shocked back to a normal rhythm from its peak rate of 280 beats per minute. 

This was when I was formally diagnosed with a rare heart condition and was told that the first symptom of my condition is often sudden death. I was again spared. My condition, however, was progressive and worsened through intense exercise.  I was told my lifestyle had to change significantly.  This was a hard pill to swallow, but I knew in my gut that cutting back on something I loved meant sustaining my life for a longer period of time. 

There were other close encounters with death, but my most incredible evasion was due to a gift from a selfless organ donor when on March 11, 2021, she passed life to me in the form of a healthy new heart. 

My recovery was better than expected due to a multitude of factors – mainly a positive attitude, a focus on six core dimensions of wellness, and of course great medical care through Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.

On the six-month anniversary of my transplant, I completed a 5k – my first in over 20 years.  At my one-year mark, I complete that elusive triathlon, running across the finish line hand-in-hand with my 79-year-old mom.

During my first year post-transplant, I wrote a book called Change of Heart: My Journey of Transplantation, Revelation, and Transformation. I love telling my story, and I am always so grateful when a reader contacts me to tell me they made an appointment to check their heart health or that someone printed out my Wellness Widget and made commitments to better emotional health or social wellness or financial stability. 

My last 25 years have been far from smooth, but I have learned some very valuable lessons and hope to continue to inspire people to take action and make changes for a more fulfilling life and a healthier society. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle initially was being an extreme athlete and being told I could no longer exercise – at least nowhere close to what I was used to. I adjusted and channeled my energy into helping others through speaking and volunteering for the American Heart Association. My next set of struggles began when I was living overseas and traveling a lot. I was experiencing a lot of edema when on planes and getting winded when walking through airports. These were my early symptoms of heart failure. I was diagnosed with advanced heart failure in 2019 and went through extensive testing to be listed for my new heart. On March 10, 2021, I got the call that they found a matched heart for me. On March 11, 2021, I became Kristy 2.0! 

Recovery from the transplant was not as difficult as I was expecting, but there were definitely struggles –taking 32 pills daily, while every day measuring my weight, BP, HR, blood glucose, temperature, exercise, mobility, food and water intake, emotional state, etc. Virtually every day was some type of appointment – blood work, doctors visits, cardiac rehab, getting heart biopsies, monitoring rejection. It was a lot but all worth it! 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a career salesperson and consultant – spending the last 31 years in the recruiting and staffing industry. I currently work for an amazing company called The Mom Project – we are a digital marketplace that gets moms, dads, and caregivers jobs. We help them identify great companies that understand how parents need flexibility, remote work, and inclusive employers. It’s the happiest I’ve been in my career! 

I am on two charity boards: The American Heart Association and Project Beautiful Inside and Out, a Detroit-based charity.

Additionally, I am a new author – telling the story of my 20+-year heart journey. I also include a couple of chapters on my Wellness Widget – focusing on six dimensions of wellness to create a more balanced fulfilling life. 

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Where I am today in life and in my career is largely based on how I’ve approached networking, sought to help others, and never burned bridges. My motto is don’t ask, don’t get. People are more willing to help than we give them credit for. I guess as a salesperson, I’m not afraid of the word no. More times than not, asking for something bold, or “out there”, or assertive usually turns out positively. 

My latest asks have been for speaking engagements, media interviews and any way I can get my messages out to the public.  I have been able to influence a small sphere around me; I want as many people to hear my story as possible. I want to move them to action to become the best versions of themselves.

Pricing:
My book is available at 39,000 online retail sites at various prices and is available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book: It was a number 1 new release and best seller in several categories, and to date has been sold on four continents.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.changeofheartmemoir.com
• Instagram: changeofheartmemoir
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristy.baloghsidlar
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-sidlar-57a1ba3/

Image Credits
Greg Sadler Photography
Elaine Lancaster Photography