In 2003, Mary Knudson was shocked to receive a diagnosis of heart failure. She went home and made out a will. But as a health journalist she also began researching heart failure and learned that her cardiologist did not have her on the treatments recommended by a national panel of heart specialists. Four cardiologists later, she received treatments that had proven science behind them. Her health improved and she eventually got well. She asked that fourth cardiologist, Edward K. Kasper, M.D., now the clinical director of cardiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital, to write a book with her that would alert the public about this growing epidemic.