Jen Hale, a Fox Sports reporter, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at the age of 38 and she was given just 5 more years to live. Now, at 43 years old, the deadline has clearly passed and she has to thank her colleague Ronde Barber partially for that.

Both were working on an assignment together in 2016 when Barber noticed that Hale was sweating a lot and clearly had trouble breathing. He urged her to seek medical assistance, which eventually led to her getting diagnosed with the disease. For her, the issue is the left side of the heart, which pumps the blood out into the body.

Jen Hale Says She Downplayed the Symptoms

Hale explained that the right side of her heart was receiving enough blood, but the left side was just not pumping out enough. If the heart was a rubber band, expanding and popping back, hers was just not snapping back, she said. The left side of her heart was barely moving when she sought help.

Actually, Jen Hale has been to two doctors before she got diagnosed and she admits she downplayed her symptoms. She kept on telling herself to suck it up and that it was nothing. She thought if it was that serious then the first doctors would have seen the issue.

Heart Conditions Run in Her Family

Hale also commented that even though she knew about her dad’s and uncle’s heart conditions, she never mentioned them to the health professionals she visited. This may have led to her getting diagnosed earlier on. Her journey also included putting her name on a heart transplant list, but for over two years now she has been able to regulate her disease with medication.

She noted that some other things played a big role. She was generally leading a healthy lifestyle before she found out about her disease and was working out every day. What worked against her, though, was the fact she waited too long before getting proper medical help. Her heart was down to 16% pumping capacity when she found out.

Jen Hale is now focused on educating others about the condition by using her platform and working with the American Heart Association.

Many believe that the name on the front of a jersey is more important than the one on its back, and it now appears that The Transfer Portal has tested that motto. Fans of the Michigan and Michigan State athletics have shared their opinion on the portal and the accelerated rate of transfers in college sports. One showing an example is the transfer of football player Ben VanSumeren from Michigan State to East Lansing again in Michigan. Still, it gives underclassmen who are unhappy with their playing time and veterans looking to play their last season elsewhere a good way for transferring.

Fans Are Not Too Concerned About Losing Promising Players to Transfers

Despite the fact that promising players are rarely using the Transfer Portal, there is still disappointment among the fans when it does happen. The tension surrounding such possibilities is slowly rising, especially when someone like Rocket Watts leaves the program. Many fans believe that court production is the most important thing but still feel a connection with the roster. Those who follow the recruiting process even get to know a player before they arrive on campus, and not getting to see that happen during transfers is considered a downside by many.

The Transfer Portal Is Largely Viewed as a Magnet That Pulls Players Away from Their Teams

College athletes are limited to four or five years with their team, and many stars tend to leave sooner. This makes the Transfer Portal a magnet that could pull players away and reshape college rosters every year. This means that in three or four years, teams can be completely overhauled and can make it difficult for some fans to get invested in their team.

Ultimately, the names on the back of a jersey are changing all the time, while the one on the front stays the same. According to one fan, it would be fine if an entire team is made of transfers as long as it competed for a Big Ten title. Apparently, winning trumps all.