The holidays are coming, and that usually means a lot of family time. It may not be the most fun thing to talk about, but the American Heart Association says knowing your family's health history could save your life.A Maine woman says knowing her family history is why she's still here.Andree "Muffy" Tostevin says she's had a charmed life."My parents were just lovely people," she said.She grew up on the coast in Falmouth. She says she and her siblings had free-range with relatives across the neighborhood.She became a teacher in Colorado. But came back to the Maine coast after only a year."I missed the water. I grew up on the ocean," she said. "We could swim in three coves."When she was pregnant, her doctor listened to her heart at a check-in."He said, 'Has anyone ever told you, you have a heart murmur?'" she said. "I went to see one of my uncles who was in the radiology department at Maine Med, and he said, 'You have the same thing your dad does.' I said, 'Oh, what's that?' So, I have a bicuspid aortic valve."She had an echocardiogram every year after that.Fast forward to more recently, after a routine mammogram, she found a lump on her breast. At the time, her mother was fighting breast cancer."She took a biopsy, and she called me and said it's cancer. I said, 'OK, now what?'" she said.Muffy's strength knows no limits. She worked out with a trainer every day she physically could through chemotherapy and surgeries. Until she was told she needed to have open heart surgery because she was growing an aneurysm, possibly brought on by her cancer and the chemotherapy.She found herself in her father's footsteps once again."He had an aneurysm in his aorta, and he was the first person at Maine Med to have that repaired," she said. "I got my dad's gold ring, I got my mom's gold ring. I got the best of both of them."With a sense of humor, Muffy said she is not a victim.She took charge of her health over the years. She lost 100 pounds. She's taken control of her medications. She's gotten gene testing to help understand her body even better.She also doesn't sit still."It's hard when you retire, when you've had hours, every day doing what you do, and I absolutely loved what I did," Muffy said.After years as a school principal, she went back to teaching. She coaches swimming now.She's also teaching all of us to keep moving so your body doesn't stop."Knowledge is huge power. For me, I really do think it's why I'm here," she said.To learn more about how your family history increases your risk for heart disease, visit the American Heart Association's website.

The holidays are coming, and that usually means a lot of family time. It may not be the most fun thing to talk about, but the American Heart Association says knowing your family's health history could save your life.

A Maine woman says knowing her family history is why she's still here.

Andree "Muffy" Tostevin says she's had a charmed life.

"My parents were just lovely people," she said.

She grew up on the coast in Falmouth. She says she and her siblings had free-range with relatives across the neighborhood.

She became a teacher in Colorado. But came back to the Maine coast after only a year.

"I missed the water. I grew up on the ocean," she said. "We could swim in three coves."

When she was pregnant, her doctor listened to her heart at a check-in.

"He said, 'Has anyone ever told you, you have a heart murmur?'" she said. "I went to see one of my uncles who was in the radiology department at Maine Med, and he said, 'You have the same thing your dad does.' I said, 'Oh, what's that?' So, I have a bicuspid aortic valve."

She had an echocardiogram every year after that.

Fast forward to more recently, after a routine mammogram, she found a lump on her breast. At the time, her mother was fighting breast cancer.

"She took a biopsy, and she called me and said it's cancer. I said, 'OK, now what?'" she said.

Muffy's strength knows no limits. She worked out with a trainer every day she physically could through chemotherapy and surgeries. Until she was told she needed to have open heart surgery because she was growing an aneurysm, possibly brought on by her cancer and the chemotherapy.

She found herself in her father's footsteps once again.

"He had an aneurysm in his aorta, and he was the first person at Maine Med to have that repaired," she said. "I got my dad's gold ring, I got my mom's gold ring. I got the best of both of them."

With a sense of humor, Muffy said she is not a victim.

She took charge of her health over the years. She lost 100 pounds. She's taken control of her medications. She's gotten gene testing to help understand her body even better.

She also doesn't sit still.

"It's hard when you retire, when you've had hours, every day doing what you do, and I absolutely loved what I did," Muffy said.

After years as a school principal, she went back to teaching. She coaches swimming now.

She's also teaching all of us to keep moving so your body doesn't stop.

"Knowledge is huge power. For me, I really do think it's why I'm here," she said.

To learn more about how your family history increases your risk for heart disease, visit the American Heart Association's website.