Advocate Spotlight: Catherine Zalewski

Above photo: Catherine Zalewski feels grateful to have her healthy, wonderful children Jaxon (left) and Ava (right). She suffered a postpartum stroke with each child, just months after they were born. Her children inspired her to learn to walk and talk again. 

Two Strokes, One Purpose: A mother’s story of recovery and resolve
After surviving two postpartum strokes, Catherine Zalewski turned recovery into a mission to help other mothers protect their health and families 

When Catherine Zalewski thinks about the moments that changed her life, she returns to two connected memories. In one she’s holding her newborn daughter, Ava, in a quiet hospital room, soaking in the joy and exhaustion of new motherhood. In the other, six months later, she’s back in a hospital bed – this time fighting to speak, to move and to understand how her life shifted so suddenly. 

Shortly after giving birth, Catherine, 28, had a stroke.  

She didn’t know what recovery would hold. Whether she would walk again. Whether she would ever talk clearly. The future she imagined for herself – and for her child – felt frighteningly fragile. 

Five years later, just four months after the birth of her son Jaxon, Catherine had a second stroke. 

After two healthy pregnancies, she desperately wanted answers. Doctors ultimately classified both strokes as cryptogenic, meaning there was no single, clear cause. What she did know was that her life – and her sense of purpose – had been irrevocably changed. 

A journey of recovery, fierce love and new purpose
The days following each stroke blurred together in a mix of fear, determination and resolve. After the first, doctors suspected a hole in Catherine’s heart and closed it surgically. But the second stroke revealed the truth: her story was more complex than anyone initially believed. 

Weeks of inpatient rehabilitation followed. Catherine re-learned how to speak clearly, how to move with confidence and how to trust her body again.  

Occupational and speech therapy became the structure of her days. Progress was slow and often frustrating – but quitting was never an option.  

“Being a mom saved my life,” Catherine says.  

Motherhood gave her the strength to push through exhaustion, setbacks and the relentless work of recovery. It reshaped how she thought about health. Caring for others, she realized, cannot come at the expense of caring for yourself.  

She learned to listen to her body, track key health numbers and advocate for herself when easy explanations didn’t add up. 

From survivor to advocate
What began as a deeply personal struggle gradually became a public mission.  

More than a decade ago, Catherine began volunteering with the American Heart Association, first by sharing her story on live radio. Soon after, she traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet lawmakers, transforming her experience into advocacy aimed at protecting other families. 

Now living in Florida, Catherine continues that work as part of the American Heart Association Heart Powered movement, encouraging other moms to speak up, stay informed and get involved. 

Her message is simple and urgent: Know your numbers, especially your blood pressure. She treats this as nonnegotiable, and she points to practical tools like a home blood pressure cuff, a smartwatch and simple apps to stay aware – proof that even small steps can make a lifesaving difference. 

Just as important, Catherine teaches moms what to do when something feels wrong.  

She tells anyone who will listen that access to quality, affordable health care is foundational to women’s heart health before, during and after pregnancy and throughout life. 

 

The American Heart Association supports policies that: 

• Optimize health insurance coverage and expand access to care  

• Extend Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum  

• Address gaps in maternal health outcomes 

• Expand Medicaid coverage to include self-measured blood pressure monitoring 

 

These solutions help ensure women receive preventive care, manage chronic conditions and get timely treatment, without unnecessary barriers. 

 

Why seconds matter
B.E. F.A.S.T. is the Heart Association’s rallying cry for recognizing stroke symptoms and acting without delay. 

Balance: Sudden loss of coordination  

Eyes: Sudden vision changes  

Face: Drooping on one side  

Arm: Weakness or numbness  

Speech: Slurred or unusual 

Time: Call 911 immediately  

Catherine knows firsthand how quickly seconds slip away and how much they matter. 

Her advocacy is compassionate and practical. She speaks with mothers in waiting rooms, at community walks and through her work as a medical technician – not to frighten them, but to arm them with knowledge. 

She urges women to schedule routine checkups, ask questions about their blood pressure and cholesterol, and speak up if something feels off, especially during and after pregnancy.  

“Self-care is not selfish,” Catherine says. “It protects the people who depend on you.” 

Turning survival into action
Catherine’s story isn’t just about surviving two strokes. It is about rebuilding a life step by step, and transforming hard-won recovery into purpose, so no mother feels alone or uninformed when her body sends a warning. 

For moms reading her story, Catherine’s invitation is clear: Join the Heart Powered movement and advocate for life-changing public policies, learn your numbers, keep moving and know the signs of a stroke. In life, in motherhood and after a stroke, timing is everything. 

Her steady, hopeful voice is a reminder that when mothers know their numbers and act fast, they protect themselves and the families who rely on them.

Join the Movement
To learn more and join other parents who are turning experience into action, text HEART to 46839 or visit HeartPowered.org.