Shropshire woman: 'heart disease has no stereotype' after being diagnosed at 22
Almost three quarters of us think the condition only affects certain ages
A Shropshire woman has told us 'heart disease has no stereotype' after she was diagnosed with the condition at 22 years old.
Faith Harrison was told she was likely suffering a panic attack when she called emergency services.
Faith's story...
Faith Harrison was driving back from a hockey match when she started experiencing chest pains.
She told us: "It was probably about 30 minutes into the drive and all of a sudden my left arm had gone numb and tingly. I had this urge to be sick, so I got out.
"I was questioning whether it was muscle pain. I pulled something in my back, or potentially I was just getting unwell.
'I knew I was dying'
"I had this feeling of impending doom. I knew something was seriously wrong and I knew I was dying but I did not know why.
"We called 999 and I was told I was having a panic attack because of my age, fitness level and my sex. I was told if it felt more serious, I should go to A&E within the hour.
"I now know that within that hour, heart muscle is dying every second. An ECG later revealed I was experiencing a major heart attack and I spent 7 days in hospital," she said.
'Sudden cardiac death'
Faith, who had been an online fitness influencer before her heart attack, was later diagnosed with a congenital heart defect which caused a blood clot blocking her artery.
She has been left with heart failure and must take daily medication to manage the condition and treat the damage caused by the blood clot.
Faith said: "It is a disease that is manageable but it could lead to me needing a heart transplant or even experiencing a sudden cardiac death," she said.
'Too many people like me'
Faith has since connected with many other young people her age experiencing heart failure:
"There are too many people like me and even then we all experience stereotyping.
"People hear that a young man or a young woman has had a heart attack and just assume it is self inflicted," she said.
British Heart Foundation study...
A new study by the British Heart Foundation of 2,000 UK adults living with cardiovascular disease reveals many have faced judgement:
- Over half (55 per cent) said they have felt judged or embarrassed about their condition – with one in three (36 per cent) of those saying they have encountered instances where people think it is self-inflicted.
- Meanwhile, around half (48 per cent) said they had experienced challenges with their personal relationships due to their condition, with two in three (65 per cent) saying they had experienced challenges with their mental health.
- Half (50 per cent) feel cardiovascular disease is not taken as seriously as other conditions, while two in three (68 per cent) say it is not well understood. With the disease able to affect anyone, three in four (73 per cent) agreed that people think it only affects certain demographics, such as older people.
A red bench...
A red bench has been put up in Shrewsbury, in the riverside garden close to English Bridge to mark Faith's story.
There are 65 benches in total being unveiled, to mark 65 years since the British Heart Foundation began.
Each bench represents a different person's story and experience with cardiovascular disease.