Days to Live: Hard Heart Charging With Hannah and Bethany
Fine Art, Philanthropy, Resilience, Renewal, Photography, Portraits
The Floridian late winter sun was beginning to dip toward the horizon as I photographed Hannah and Bethany separately, each holding a sunflower—the Days to Live symbol of resilience and renewal. The warm light softened the edges of the day, casting long shadows and illuminating the strength that radiated from each of them.
Though bound by blood and a shared diagnosis, their journeys are uniquely their own. Their portraits reflect this individuality—two distinct expressions of what it means to live fully, despite the realities of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Hannah’s portrait is one of quiet grace, her presence shaped by acceptance and purpose. Bethany’s, by contrast, carries a defiant vibrance, a reminder that joy and luxury can be woven into even the most challenging paths.
Living Fully: Grace, Purpose, and a Pair of Heels
When I asked Hannah what living life to the fullest meant to her, she reflected on the delicate balance of acceptance and impact:
“Having the chronic and deadly heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, for me living life to the fullest requires my accepting my flawed body while allowing it to tame my perfect soul. Day by day, I may be restricted by fatigue or fainting, but week by week, I am able to be kind and contribute. I created the organization HeartCharged through which I have saved lives and supported my fellow patients. My condition has given me gratitude and makes me give myself and others grace. Mixed with the impact of my charity work, I feel I am living a full life.”
Her portrait mirrors this sentiment—there is a quiet strength in her stance, an unshakable resolve in her expression. Hers is a story of transformation, of using adversity to fuel purpose. Through HeartCharged, she has turned a life-altering diagnosis into a force for change, ensuring that others don’t face the same journey alone.
Bethany’s response was just as powerful, but it carried a different energy—one of bold defiance against the weight of medical reality:
“Inside my body is an implanted defibrillator, wired into my heart, ready to shock me back to life because my chance of dying young from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has been found to be so high. In other words, to live life to the longest, I subjected myself to scars and bionic bulges. But to live life to the fullest, I buy myself shoes. In a life where I seem to need endless doctors’ appointments, medicines, and tests, I decided I also need shoes. They say I need EKGs, MRIs, and Echos. I say I need pointy-toed red bottoms, black platformed YSL, and strappy, silver Jimmy Choo’s. Defibrillator and shoes—because enduring the journey of a heart warrior is all about accessorizing, from inside to outside, when one is living it to its fullest.”
Her portrait reflects this philosophy—there’s a spark in her gaze, a determination to reclaim joy in a life that has been dictated by medical necessity. She refuses to let her identity be reduced to hospital visits and defibrillator wires. Instead, she finds beauty in the details, celebrating life on her own terms, one pair of statement heels at a time.
The Individual Fight for a Shared Mission
Though their stories diverge in expression, both sisters share an unshakeable belief: life doesn’t end with a diagnosis.
They were teenagers when they learned they had HCM, a disease that often takes young lives before it is even detected. Unlike so many others, they were screened and diagnosed in time. Medical intervention, lifestyle adjustments, and eventually implantable defibrillators became their lifelines. But survival wasn’t enough. They wanted more—for themselves, and for others.
Through HeartCharged, they’ve dedicated themselves to preventing needless deaths from undiagnosed heart conditions. Their mission is simple yet urgent:
✔️ Ensure that every child has access to heart screenings.
✔️ Equip communities with the knowledge to respond to sudden cardiac emergencies.
✔️ Support fellow heart warriors in navigating their own diagnoses.
“Because I have been given much, I too must give.” These words are embedded in the ethos of HeartCharged—a love that is expansive, selfless, and determined to save lives.
Love, Duality, and the Journey Ahead
Hannah and Bethany’s portraits—distinct yet interconnected—reflect the Days to Live journey in a powerful way. Love, in its purest form, exists in duality. It is restriction and freedom, duty and indulgence, survival and celebration.
Hannah embodies the quiet, transformative power of love through purpose. Bethany exudes the bold defiance of love through self-expression. Each has found a way to claim life, not just for themselves, but for those who have yet to be saved.
Their portraits stand as testaments to living fully—not in spite of adversity, but because of it.
As Days to Live moves forward, their stories travel with us. From the Miami heat to wherever this journey takes us next, we continue to ask:
💛 What does living life to the fullest mean to you?
:: Rand
If you are interested in participating in Days to Live, or have someone in mind who has an inspirational story, please reach out via the contact form on the Days to Live website and we will be in touch.
All images copyright Rand Leeb-du Toit and Days to Live, 2025.