A local advocate is stressing the importance of people listening to their bodies as a way to mitigate the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has released a report showing that a lack of awareness is putting people’s health at risk.

Karen Goodnough is a survivor of chronic heart failure, and has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.

Goodnough says she is not surprised by the results of the report, and says people need to recognize when something isn’t right with their body.

She says people need to be vigilant with their symptoms and persistent when trying to get appointments. She advises to seek out as many professionals as possible to make sure the diagnosis is accurate.