When Mindy Beyer entered this world, her parents were told she might not live beyond her third birthday. Take a look at her in 2012 — radiant, full of joy, and yes, pregnant!

Mindy Beyer speaker Go Red For Women luncheon 2012

“I don’t mind showing off my pregnant belly,” she boasted. “I’m very, very, very proud of it. To know that we’re going to have a baby is just amazing.”

Mindy was born with several heart defects. When she was a month old she had a temporary procedure to stabilize her condition until she was older and strong enough to have open heart surgery — around the age of three, if she lived that long. Not only did she make it, but she also didn’t even need the second surgery until she was 12 years old. That’s when she decided that when she grew up she wanted to work in healthcare.

Mindy stayed true to her word, but just two months shy of graduating from nursing school, her life took another unexpected turn. A routine MRI to simply check the status of her heart revealed she had a tear in her aorta. If it hadn’t been discovered, Mindy says it surely would have killed her. She had open heart surgery — again — and the tear was repaired. “I was very lucky. I stop and think about it sometimes and I’m like, wow. It’s amazing.”

In 2012, Mindy shared her story at the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Luncheon. She also did healthy heart screenings during one of the breakout sessions. She runs a cholesterol screening and cardiac risk reduction program called Take Charge. Fitting, isn’t it, that she is a cardiac nurse? “I’ve been able to use what I’ve learned with my heart condition to help others get through the times that are hard for them and troubling,” she explained. “I think it helps them to see someone on the other side who’s lived through it. I’ve taken every card I’m dealt and tried to make it positive and I feel like I have.”

Mindy agreed to speak at the luncheon because she firmly believes she is alive today not only because of the great care of her doctors but also because of the technology and research made possible by the American Heart Association. She wanted attendees to see her as “living proof” their donations matter.

She also gave everyone a good glimpse of her baby belly. After all, it was one of the most exciting times in her life. It’s also one that she did not take for granted. Pregnancy can be risky for a woman with congenital heart defects, and all her life she heard that she would probably never be able to have a baby. For four years she and her husband tried without success to have one with a surrogate.

They were absolutely thrilled when Mindy became pregnant, but from the moment she found out she’s had to be under the watchful eye of both her obstetrician and her cardiologist. As for the baby, new technology and research have made it possible to carefully examine its tiny little heart and to screen for a gene linked to congenital heart disease. Everything looks great Mindy said. “Knock on wood, everything is going really, really well.”

The next hurdle will be the delivery, a process that will be monitored every step of the way. Mindy’s not worried. Her attitude never falters — “You just have to go out there and live life. I think some people forget that and take it for granted sometimes. You have to live it.”