A teenager from the UK is emphasizing the importance of being attentive to bodily signals after experiencing a cardiac arrest at school following ‘mild chest pains’.
Evelyn Walker, from Hertfordshire, UK, recounts that her day in February seemed just like any other until a frightening turn of events. She went through her usual morning routine including breakfast and walking to school with her friend, arriving around 8:30 am.
“I felt fine that morning. Everything was normal until I started getting chest pains,” she recalled.
The 17-year-old soon ‘began feeling sick’, and subsequently ‘collapsed’.
“I don’t remember any of it happening. I completely blacked out. I just remember waking up in hospital a couple of days later,” she mentioned.
Post-incident, Evelyn was informed of the proceedings. After her collapse, staff immediately initiated CPR and a teacher used the school’s defibrillator.
The school’s medical officer was notified and shocked Evelyn twice to revive her heart.
Evelyn estimates her heart stopped for about five minutes before being stabilized, after which she was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and placed in a coma for three days.
Her mother, Jennifer, described the frightening experience as the ‘worst moment’ of her life, stating: “I was in bed asleep having a lie in and heard my phone going then just saw the word ‘ambulance’ on my phone.
“I just thought Evelyn had bumped her head or fallen over. Then the police were on my doorstep and I just thought she was dead. It was absolutely awful.”
Jennifer joined her daughter at the hospital, noting that such an occurrence was unprecedented given Evelyn’s history as a ‘healthy, vibrant young girl’.
Before her hospitalization, Evelyn reports she experienced no alarming symptoms besides ‘mild chest pains’, which she had consulted a doctor about.
Medics attributed these symptoms to anxiety and did not pursue further investigation, she notes.
Evelyn suspects an underlying heart issue, with tests suggesting potential heart abnormalities, though the exact cause of the cardiac arrest is still being examined.
“We still don’t know if that [the chest pains] was linked,” Evelyn said. “I’m quite frustrated I was just told it was anxiety, just because I’m a young person. I’m sure if I was over 60 complaining of chest pain, they would’ve looked into it further.”
After a month’s stay in the hospital, Evelyn received an internal defibrillator to prevent future incidents.
Now, she advises others to be alert to any signs their body may present.
“My outlook on life has really changed,” she said. “I thought I was young and healthy and nothing like this would ever happen to me…
“Don’t just assume doctors are right. You know your own body better than anyone else and if you think something is off then don’t be afraid to push and get it investigated. Heart problems can affect anyone.”
To spread awareness about sudden cardiac arrest in young people, Jennifer has created a Facebook page called ‘Young Hearts UK’. She aims to encourage more people to undertake CPR and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) training.
“[Sudden cardiac arrest] is fairly rare for young people but not unheard of. In fact, 12 young people under 35 die each week in the UK from a SCA. That’s why we want people to know CPR and to know where their nearest defibrillator is,” the mom said.