After actor-politician Sunil Dutt died of a heart-attack, the media in
India focussed on how "heart attacks are rising day after stressful day".
In a full-page 'big story' by Swati Ali (Indian Express, June 7, 2005,
Mumbai edition Page 2), the writer profiles how victims of heart attacks
coped with the situation. And fought back.
One of those mentioned from Mumbai is a lady with a
rather Goan-sounding name -- Peggy Fernandes, 73. Okay,
she could be Mangalorean or East Indian.
Says the write-up about the homemaker: "Fernandes said she's already
forgotten when she had her heart attack. 'I think it was sometime in
2001,' she said, thoughful. No, there's nothing wrong with her memory.
'It's just that it did not affect me that much,' she said. 'Life
continues.'"
The article adds: "Stress was the bugbear, Fernandes pointed out. She
would travel every day from her home in Ambernath to Chhatrapati Shivaji
Terminus, a journey of 80 minutes each way, to her work as a clerk in the
LIC office. Since she could not afford a taxi, she then walked 20 minutes
from the station to the office and back. All this after getting up at 5 am
and cooking for the entire joint family."
With the changes in lifestyle, growing affluence (for some)
and increasing stress, I guess the Goan community too must be
facing growing heart concerns. Beyond the anecdotal, is anyone
aware of studies conducted on this aspect? Just curious...
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Frederick (FN) Noronha | Freelance Journalist | Mobile +91 9822 122436
Tel +91.832.2409490 | http://fn.swiki.net | http://www.bytesforall.net
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