Sue's heart attack

Home alone when chest pains struck, Sue couldn't breathe or speak. She used her mobile to text her son-in-law and ask him to call 999.

While in hospital she had another heart attack, and underwent an angiogram - a test to find out where her arteries had narrowed.

One of our Heart Nurses paid Sue a visit. The nurse gave her lots of help and advice, and answered her many questions.

Scared to do anything, even to walk, the nurse's advice was reassuring.

Sue says: "She was lovely, like another best friend in the end. I could really rely on her."

Sue subscribed to our Heart Matters Magazine, full of stories from others who'd been through the same thing.

Sue saw she wasn't alone, that people can recover from a heart attack and "get their life back".

A daughter's fears

Sue's whole family were devastated by her attack. Daughter Karen says she wanted to wrap her mum up in cotton wool.

She adds: "I came across the British Heart Foundation and the website - the resources were fantastic".

Karen even slipped our leaflets into her family's pockets, so they'd understand what was going on too.

Now the whole family is more aware of their heart health, and Sue's giving something back to help other people affected by heart disease.

She's been taking old clothes to our BHF Shops and buying books from them too.