Touch and go

Lorraine's sister took her to A&E by car. Yvonne told the doctors she was having chest pains. From the moment Lorraine lay down on the hospital bed, to the time she woke up surrounded by nurses and being told she'd had a heart attack, she doesn't remember anything.

Lorraine wasn't overweight, she didn't smoke or do drugs, only in her early 40s and with no family history of heart disease. It was "like a thunderbolt".

Once the hospital staff had done everything they could, our website helped to fill in the gaps.

She says: "I’m by no means a guru on computers,  but even I managed to find my way around. And its easy language – you know – it’s in a language that you understand"

Lorraine's final word of advice for people in the same situation is:

"No matter what you need to know or how you’re feeling – you can contact the British Heart Foundation."

Supportive sisters

While the doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to resuscitate Lorraine, Yvonne sat waiting, scared and hoping for good news.

She helped her sister find her feet, taking her in for nine weeks while she was recovering. Lorraine passed on all the information she discovered on her travels through our website to Yvonne, reassuring her that things would get better.

Yvonne says: "They’re not just there for the people who’ve had the heart attacks or heart problems. They’re there for us as well."