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Growing up in rural Virginia, identical twins Whitney and Britney Johnson loved to compete, especially in sports. Whitney, older by three minutes, played basketball and softball and ran track. Britney excelled at basketball and softball, too.

Despite their similarities, there was a major difference: Only Whitney was born with a heart murmur.

The condition wasn’t an issue as the girls moved through elementary and middle school. Then came high school.

Although Whitney had been cleared to play as a freshman, a checkup before her sophomore year found a possible problem. A cardiologist determined that the right side of Whitney’s heart was working harder than the left.

The root of the problem was an atrial septal defect, a hole in the wall separating the heart’s two upper chambers.

Whitney would need surgery to close the hole and help blood to flow properly through her heart. But when? She and her parents ultimately decided to wait until the summer before her senior year.

In the meantime, Whitney could still play basketball.

During her junior year, she struggled to catch her breath during physical activity – a clear sign that the upcoming summer was the right time for her surgery. The surgery and recovery went reasonably well, and Whitney was able to continue playing basketball and softball, and run track as a senior. She went through college without any heart issues, then moved to New York to begin a career in communications.

At 30 – 13 years removed from her heart surgery – Whitney learned she would soon become a mother.

A few weeks into her pregnancy, she went to her annual checkup with her cardiologist. “I’m pregnant!” Whitney said. A mixture of shock and alarm spread across the doctor’s face.

“You’re at risk of heart failure,” he said.

Whitney was stunned. The cardiologist had mentioned the possibility of another surgery someday because of issues like a small remaining hole patch, valve issues or enlargement of the right side of her heart. But he’d never said anything about problems related to getting pregnant.

Whitney spent the afternoon in tears. Would her baby be OK? Would she?

Further testing showed that, though Whitney’s heart was enlarged, she could continue with the pregnancy, providing she received adequate monitoring of her heart.

Whitney and her baby received extra monitoring over the following months, including testing that showed the baby’s heart was functioning properly.

To help limit the strain on Whitney’s heart, her cardiologist recommended that she work her advertising job from home. The job still demanded a lot from her, but working from home made a significant difference in maintaining her health.

At 39 weeks pregnant, Whitney was induced. Over 27 hours of labor, her heart held strong. Then came the joy of meeting her daughter, Summer Reign, who Whitney sees as a beautiful reminder of why every moment of endurance was worth it.

“Becoming a mom is the best thing that’s happened to me and for me,” said Whitney, who’s now 32. “It was a major risk, but I knew if I was going to bet it all and win, it was going to be my greatest win yet. Sometimes the best things are on the other side of taking a chance.”

Now 20 months old, Summer Reign is a healthy, happy baby. Once she’s old enough, she’ll see a pediatric cardiologist to check that her heart is functioning properly.

Last September, Whitney underwent open-heart surgery once again. Her doctor called it a “tune-up.”

During the operation, the surgeon found that there was no patch. Whitney now sees herself as a walking miracle.

“Whitney has always been very calm and brave and confident in making decisions,” said Britney, who flew to New York to be with Whitney for the surgery. “She has a lot of faith.”

The surgery went well. Even better, Whitney got encouraging news: Her heart is gradually returning to a normal size.

Looking back, Whitney wishes a health care professional had broached the risks she faced of getting pregnant. From her experience, she learned just how important it is to take an active role in one’s own health care.

“Yes, we lean on the advice of physicians,” she said, “but it’s also important to be your own advocate, do your research, make educated decisions and trust your body.”

Whitney’s story shows that health journeys don’t always end when treatment does — and that being informed is a form of advocacy. The Heart Insight newsletter offers continued education and support for people living with heart conditions and those who care for them.

Stories From the Heart chronicles the inspiring journeys of heart disease and stroke survivors, caregivers and advocates.