A SOLIHULL influencer whose life was ‘brought to a standstill’ in her 20s after suffering a heart attack is backing the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Christmas campaign.
Neena Chauhan was just 27 and a regular gym-goer when she was rushed to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance from her family home after her mum and siblings witnessed her writhing in agony and sweating profusely.
She had experienced chest pains for two weeks prior to her heart attack in March 2013, but they became so crushing on the day it happened that she described them as ‘like an elephant was sitting on me’.
This was accompanied by severe pins and needles down her left arm.
Neena, who is now 40 and a health and fitness influencer, underwent an immediate procedure on arrival at hospital to fit a stent to open her blocked artery.
She said: “If they hadn’t done it there and then I was told I could have died as my heart attack might have led to a cardiac arrest.”
A heart attack happens when one of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, becomes blocked or severely narrowed.
This leads to a sudden loss of blood flow to part of the heart muscle which causes its cells to die and can lead to cardiac arrest.
She said: “I knew how lucky I was to be alive and I’m so grateful for the fast response of the ambulance crew and the medical team at the hospital, but it was such a terrifying time.
“I came so close to death that it severely affected my mental health for two years I suffered with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“I was scared to leave my room and would just sit and not want to face the world or do anything that might strain my heart. The truth was that I wasn’t doing my heart or mind any good just sitting there.
“The turning point came when I came back from a holiday with my family and friends to Marbella. I looked at the photos and barely recognised myself.
“I knew I had to take back control and start living again. For me it was really important to get back to my gym routine – slowly at first – and to regain the person I’d lost.”
Neena is supporting the BHF Christmas campaign A Gift That Keeps On Living urging people to donate to help fund lifesaving research into cardiovascular disease, including conditions like heart attack and stroke.
Neena’s story highlights how vital the research funded by BHF is – not only for the millions of people affected by cardiovascular disease in the UK, but also for their loved ones.
Her experience is an example of why improvements are needed in ways of identifying people who are at risk of having a heart attack.
Funds raised through the campaign go towards BHF-funded research projects like one carried out at the University of Edinburgh where a new chest pain care pathway for GPs has been developed.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at British Heart Foundation, said: “Neena is one of so many people across the UK whose Christmas wish is for treatments and cures that we just don’t have yet.
“Groundbreaking research funded by BHF has helped improve and save the lives of many people with cardiovascular disease, but our job is not done. The more we can discover, through the public’s donations, the more lives can be saved – and give people like Neena many more Christmases with their loved ones.”
Neena has just completed the BHF’s November skipping challenge where she skipped 100 jumps a day throughout the month and raised a further £628 to help fund lifesaving research.
To donate to the BHF this festive season click here.
