Finding love again thanks to the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program

As many know, February is Heart Month, and at Sentara, this year marks the 7th annual 28(+1) Days of Heart campaign. Through this campaign, we strive to remind our communities that heart health matters. Whether we are sharing ways to determine risk factors through our self-assessment tool, Heart & Vascular Aware™, or helping those who are dealing with heart disease find a path to a healthier lifestyle, it’s all about helping our communities connect to the resources they need for better cardiovascular health. Ornish Lifestyle Medicine is one such program, and recently, two patients not only found a path to better health but they also found love!

Meet Marjorie Moss and Bryn Scola from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Marjorie Moss’ Journey to Ornish

As a registered nurse and employee of Optima Health, Marjorie is always looking out for the health of others. After a frightening incident of chest pain and some alarming feedback from her doctor, Marjorie realized she had to find a way to take care of herself too and change some of the things within her control, like her health. She discovered the best way to start making positive changes to her health, and to reverse her heart disease, was through the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program at Sentara. Marjorie joined the program in 2018, and it was there that she met her now-fiancé, Bryn Scola.

Bryn Scola’s Journey

Bryn Scola was a Type-2 Diabetic who had already endured two heart attacks, 6 stents placed in his chest and a 5-way bypass operation. After all of the cardiovascular challenges he had been facing, he knew he had to make some very important lifestyle changes to set him on a course to better health. This led him to the same Ornish Program cohort in 2018.

Then Comes Love!

One of the best parts of the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program is the group sessions you attend and the support you receive from others going through something similar. It is also a very personal and vulnerable journey where you open yourself up pretty quickly to others, by discussing your lifestyle, diet and how you spend your time.

After meeting at the group, Marjorie and Bryn realized pretty quickly they shared similar health and lifestyle goals. As their friendship grew, they leaned on each other for emotional support during the challenges they were facing in their daily lives. This led them to start exercising together. They would take walks on the Virginia Beach boardwalk together and supported each other no matter what hurdle the other was facing. They aren’t sure when their friendship turned into a romantic relationship, but once it did, Bryn and Marjorie knew they were meant to be partners forever. They have not yet set a date, but they are enjoying being together on their path to a healthier future.

The Ornish program helped Marjorie and Bryn realize that taking care of their own health and hearts can lead to even greater things. And who doesn’t love a love story! We wish them both a lifetime of health and happiness together.