Advocate Spotlight: Olivia Pacheco

People get connected to advocacy in many ways. For some American Heart Association advocates, their advocacy starts when they are very young before they even realize that’s what it is. That was the case for Youth Heart Ambassador, Olivia Pacheco. Having 4 open heart surgeries before 17, Olivia sees that surviving means sharing her story to help others.

“I love being part of advocacy for the American Heart Association because heart health isn’t just an issue to me — it’s my life. As an 18-year-old who has survived four open-heart surgeries, I know firsthand how critical research, education, and prevention are. The AHA gave me a platform to turn my scar into a story and my story into impact. Whether I’m testifying before lawmakers or sharing my journey with communities across Virginia, I get to advocate for the kids who might not yet understand how special their hearts are and the adults who don’t realize they may be at risk. Being involved allows me to transform gratitude into action and ensure that every heartbeat has a fighting chance to follow its dreams – just like I have.”

Olivia uses her story to help on campaigns like Cardiac Emergency Response Plans and Healthy School Meals for all to ensure other youth have the ability to be the healthiest they can be.