In 1977, Biro was diagnosed with a hereditary heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Not long after, she discovered her two children had also inherited the disease.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is characterized by an abnormal growth of muscle fibers in the heart and an abnormally enlarged, thickened or stiffened heart muscle. This results in the heart not being able to pump blood as effectively as it should. Symptoms vary from people who show no signs of illness to those who go into sudden cardiac arrest.

Biro was frustrated by the lack of information and support available regarding her condition. In 1989, she founded her own charity: the Cardiomyopathy Association (www.cardiomyopathy.org) which was developed to educate and support those who suffer from this cardiac disorder, and has grown into a worldwide service.

Biro suffered from a severe form of the disorder and was being assessed for a heart transplant when, in July of 2000, she went into cardiac arrest. Fortunately, she was resuscitated, but her treatment then became problematic.

Biro was at high risk for another heart attack while waiting for a new heart. She could not be given an implantable defibrillator because her heart was too damaged and doctors feared she wouldn't survive the operation. That meant that while she waited, she would be unable to leave the hospital.

Since she had spent years informing fellow patients about her condition, she had heard about a prototype wearable defibrillator. Her research led her to LIFECOR, which had been putting its LifeVest wearable defibrillator through clinical trials in the US and Europe.

At the end of August 2000, she became the first person in the UK to use the LifeVest and she was able to return home.

"I just wanted to return to some degree of normalcy," she says.

Biro had some ribs broken during her resuscitation, so the vest was a bit uncomfortable for her at first, but it was well worth it. "It was my lifeline. It was so nice to be in my own bed instead of a hospital bed. The LifeVest really gave me and my family a sense of security."

At the end of October, she was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic and finally received a new heart last June.

Biro has spent much of her life helping others cope with their heart conditions. And when she needed help, the LifeVest was there for her.

Editor’s Note: We are sad to report that on May 21st, 2002 Carolyn died following a lengthy illness. Her Web site, dedicated to supporting those with Cardiomyopathy, continues to help thousands of people worldwide.