The Heart Warrior Project

❤️Help Me to Keep The Project Alive! ❤️If you found this video/episode helpful, consider supporting this project to keep it going and to allow me to continue creating more content. You can donate, become a member, or browse our merch through the following link: https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/🙏 Thank you, truly, for supporting this project! ❤️💪________Chaya Chana, a family and relationship therapist and fellow sudden cardiac arrest survivor, shares in this episode of The Heart Warrior Project how her children had to call an ambulance and perform CPR on her when she collapsed from a sudden cardiac arrest.Show notes can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/children-performed-cpr-chaya-chana/⁠

Dr. Belardo is a board-certified Preventive Cardiologist known for her focus on lifestyle medicine, evidence-based nutrition, and cardiometabolic health. Got questions about nutrition, heart health, or preventing disease through lifestyle? Ask your question by clicking on the following link: https://heartwarriorproject.com/experts/_____❤️Help Me to Keep The Project Alive! ❤️Consider supporting this project to keep it going and to allow me to continue creating more content. You can do this by leaving a small donation on Ko-Fi or by becoming a Heart Warrior Patron, which comes with some great perks 🎉✨.🔗 Ko-Fi: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/heartwarriorproject⁠Of course, we also have some pretty cool merch 😎👕, including hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, and bottles. You can check it out here: ⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/merchandise/⁠🙏 Thank you, truly, for supporting this project! ❤️💪

Paige Arnone—yoga teacher and founder of Firstgevity, a health and wellness business dedicated to first responders, who has also been working more with SCA survivors—joins us in this episode to dive into a topic that affects so many survivors: stress and anxiety.Since stress and anxiety are common challenges for SCA survivors and those with an ICD, I wanted to dedicate this episode to exploring practical techniques, tools, and strategies to help you manage them.Show notes can be found here: https://heartwarriorproject.com/paige-arnone-regulate-your-stress-and-anxiety/_____❤️Help Me to Keep The Project Alive! ❤️☕ If you found this video/episode helpful, consider supporting this project to keep it going and to allow me to continue creating more content. You can do this by leaving a small donation on Ko-Fi to treat me to a virtual coffee ☕💙 or by exploring the membership tiers we offer on Ko-Fi, which come with some great perks 🎉✨.🔗 Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/heartwarriorprojectOf course, we also have some pretty cool merch 😎👕, including hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, and bottles. You can check it out here: https://heartwarriorproject.com/merchandise/🙏 Thank you, truly, for supporting this project! ❤️💪

This episode offers a deep dive from someone who has undergone four ablations. I share my experience of going through this procedure under both general and local anesthesia, offering insights, tips, and what you can expect. In between, Prof. Dr. Johan Saenen will explain the technical aspects of the procedure. Dr. Saenen is a cardiologist specializing in invasive rhythmology, hereditary heart diseases, and the prevention of sudden cardiac death. He is also my cardiologist and has performed two of my ablations.❤️Help Me to Keep The Project Alive! ❤️☕ If you found this episode helpful, consider supporting this project to keep it going and to allow me to continue creating more content. You can do this by leaving a small donation on Ko-Fi to treat me to a virtual coffee ☕💙 or by exploring the membership tiers we offer on Ko-Fi, which come with some great perks 🎉✨.🔗 Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/heartwarriorprojectOf course, we also have some pretty cool merch 😎👕, including hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, and bottles. You can check it out here: https://heartwarriorproject.com/merchandise/🙏 Thank you, truly, for supporting this project! ❤️💪TimestampsIntro 00:00 - 02:16What is an ablation? | Dr. Saenen 02:16 - 05:99Why I already had 4 ablations so far 05:99 - 08:19How many ablations can one have? | Dr. Saenen 08:19 - 10:14Tips to make your stay at the hospital more comfortable 10:14 - 13:46❤️Help Me to Keep The Project Alive! ❤️ 13:46 - 15:24Insights and tips for when you’re on your way  into the surgery room 15:27 - 18:01The different ablations techniques | Dr. Saenen 18:01 - 23:41What does the procedure feel like (under local anesthesia)? 23:41 - 27:41Do ablations last? | Dr. Saenen 27:41 - 32:10Insights and tips for after the procedure 32:10 - 36:33When the procedure fails 36:33 - 38:12The side effects of an ablation | Dr. Saenen 38:12 - 39:31Final words 39:31 - 41:20

Axel Verstael, a fellow SCA survivor, shares part of his SCA journey in this episode—from receiving eight shocks to being diagnosed with two heart diseases: Brugada Syndrome and ARVC (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy).Despite all the challenges and obstacles Axel has faced, he is one of the most optimistic and positive people I know, truly making the most of this second (or eighth) chance at life.He is currently pursuing a PhD in patient engagement, and I can’t think of a more fitting person to research that subject than Axel

In this Q&A episode, I had the absolute pleasure of welcoming two cardiac health experts: Prof. Dr. Saenen, a cardiologist (he’s actually my cardiologist!) and specialist in invasive rhythmology, who is also an expert in hereditary heart diseases and the prevention of sudden cardiac death; and Prof. Dr. Loeys, a clinical genetics specialist, who is the head of the Medical Genetics Center and the Rare Diseases department at Antwerp University Hospital. This fascinating episode provides an in-depth dive into the complex topics of invasive rhythmology, hereditary heart disease, and sudden cardiac arrest. ____ ⁠📰A Newsletter for Heart Warriors⁠📰 This newsletter has zero intention of spamming you every week or so. This is simply a newsletter if you’d like to get notified about any upcoming events (in-person and online), when there is a new podcast episode released, or when there is a health professional appearing soon on the podcast that you can ask a question to. If that’s something you’d like, ⁠then sign up⁠: ⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/newsletter/⁠ ____ 🧡Get Involved - Support The Heart Warrior Project🧡 Note that The Heart Warrior Project is run by one guy, which is yes, me (Jellis Vaes). In between work, studies at university, and just life, I try to squeeze in some time almost every day to work on this project. This project takes a lot of work, as I genuinely want to deliver high-quality and helpful content for survivors here. And I do it with a lot of love every day. However, help is always appreciated. If you have found any insights, lessons, or support from this or any other episode, and you’d like to support the project, we have a couple of ways to do so. We offer some ⁠⁠awesome-looking merch⁠⁠, such as T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs, with different designs that I personally love wearing/using myself. If you aren’t interested in any merch but still want to support the project, we also ⁠⁠accept donations⁠⁠. You can find more information here:⁠⁠ ⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved ____ Timestamps Intro 00:00 - 02:55 Who is cardiologist prof. dr. Saenen? 02:55 - 06:23 Who is clinical geneticist prof. dr. Loeys? 06:23 - 10:48 Why does someone develop heart disease? 10:48 - 20:48 Main causes of sudden cardiac arrest 20:48 - 28:29 Why is the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest so low? 28:29 - 31:30 What can we do to increase the survival rate of SCA? 31:30 - 40:45 The future of treatment options for heart disease  40:45 - 45:22 Gene therapy and heart disease 45:00 - 50:18 Developing therapies Dr. Saenen and Dr. Loeys are excited about 50:18 - 53:34 Support The Heart Warrior Project 53:34 - 55:02 Genetic testing and its role in diagnosing cardiac disorders 55:02 - 1:02:35 Why some sudden cardiac arrest survivors stay idiopathic 1:02:35 - 1:05:00 Recognizing the alarm symptoms in cardiac events 1:05:00 - 1:15:55 Magnesium and heart health 1:15:55 - 1:20:00 Understanding when ICDs are implanted and the different kinds 1:20:00 - 1:29:01 The hidden challenges doctors face 1:29:01 - 01:31:00 Outro 1:34:23 - 1:35:56

Psychologist and cardiac arrest survivor Joe Fisher returns for a check-in episode to share how life has been a year after his last appearance on the show, as he continues his SCA journey.Show notes about this episode can be found here: https://heartwarriorproject.com/psychologist-and-cardiac-arrest-survivor/

For more details about the online meetups, visit: https://heartwarriorproject.com/online-meetup-for-cardiac-arrest-survivors/ This is a semi-short, personal video to say thank you for being a part of The Heart Warrior Project. Throughout this project, I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting so many incredible and inspiring fellow survivors (and co-survivors), hosting monthly meetups with fellow SCA survivors, and organizing our first event (with more to come!) together with the Red Cross Flanders on World Restart a Heart Day 2024. So I thank you for being here, for being a part of the project, and for going on this journey with me. If you are a cardiac arrest survivor or someone at risk of experiencing one, and you’d like to connect with other survivors, consider joining our international family. We meet every month and host two online meetups—you’re welcome to join whichever one works best for you. For more information about the online meetups, check out the link below: https://heartwarriorproject.com/online-meetup-for-cardiac-arrest-survivors/

For about four years now, I have been living with an ICD implant, which I received at 28 years old after surviving a sudden cardiac arrest. As a young person, I’ve learned a lot from this experience, and I hope this video, containing all the advice and tips I’ve gathered over the years, can be useful to you. RESOURCES: Episodes mentioned: In-Depth Q&A About ICDs: Former Medtronic Employee, Douglas Rachac (In this Q&A, Douglas Rachac, a former Medtronic employee and a device patient, talks about ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators).) Mental Care for ICD Carriers and Cardiac Arrest Survivors | Dr. Samuel Sears (Dr. Sears, a clinical health psychologist, discusses mental care for ICD carriers and cardiac arrest survivors on The Heart Warrior Project.) Psychologist Dr. Samuel Sears: Mental Health Challenges of Cardiac Arrest Survivors (Clinical health psychologist Dr. Samuel Sears answers your questions about ICDs and SCA in this Q&A episode of The Heart Warrior Project.) Vital Beat (This is the company I mentioned that offers t-shirts with protective shields for medical device carriers, such as ICDs, S-ICDs, etc.) Cardiac Comeback Crew (Every month, at The Heart Warrior Project, we organize two online meetups that are completely free for cardiac arrest survivors. If you are a survivor, check out the info page and join us if you'd like to meet more survivors.) Living with an ICD (Support Group) (Facebook group) Defibrillator, Pacemaker, and ICD Implant Support Group (Facebook group) PacemakerICD (Reddit group) Products mentioned: Vital Beat (This is the company I mentioned that offers t-shirts with protective shields for medical device carriers, such as ICDs, S-ICDs, etc.) Support groups: Cardiac Comeback Crew (Every month, at The Heart Warrior Project, we organize two online meetups that are completely free for cardiac arrest survivors. If you are a survivor, check out the info page and join us if you'd like to meet more survivors.) Living with an ICD (Support Group) (Facebook group) Defibrillator, Pacemaker, and ICD Implant Support Group (Facebook group) PacemakerICD (Reddit group)

What question would you like to ask Dr. Saenen and/or Prof. Dr. Loeys? Let me know by going to the following link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/experts/⁠⁠⁠⁠. Every once in a while, I will invite a medical professional or a health expert to the podcast of The Heart Warrior Project to help you as a cardiac arrest survivor live a better life. Whenever a new professional or health expert is about to appear on the podcast, I will give you the chance to ask a question you’d like me to ask that person. On the podcast, I will always make an announcement when another expert is about to come on the show, so don’t forget to follow the podcast to stay notified.

Dr. Samuel Sears, a leading clinical health psychologist known for his work with ICD patients and cardiac arrest survivors, returns to The Heart Warrior Project podcast for another Q&A episode. We covered topics suggested by listeners, including recent ICD research, trauma treatment options, new technologies, support for family members, and ICD-related insecurities. This episode offers valuable insights for those with ICDs or who have survived sudden cardiac arrest.Show notes about this episode: https://heartwarriorproject.com/mental-care-for-icd-carriers-dr-samuel-sears/⁠📰A Newsletter for Heart Warriors⁠📰This newsletter has zero intention of spamming you every week or so. This is simply a newsletter if you’d like to get notified about any upcoming events (in-person and online), when there is a new podcast episode released, or when there is a health professional appearing soon on the podcast that you can ask a question to.If that’s something you’d like, ⁠then sign up⁠: https://heartwarriorproject.com/newsletter/🧡Get Involved - Support The Heart Warrior Project🧡Note that The Heart Warrior Project is run by one guy, which is yes, me (Jellis Vaes). In between work, studies at university, and just life, I try to squeeze in some time almost every day to work on this project. This project takes a lot of work, as I genuinely want to deliver high-quality and helpful content for survivors here. And I do it with a lot of love every day. However, help is always appreciated. If you have found any insights, lessons, or support from this or any other episode, and you’d like to support the project, we have a couple of ways to do so.We offer some ⁠⁠awesome-looking merch⁠⁠, such as T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs, with different designs that I personally love wearing/using myself. If you aren’t interested in any merch but still want to support the project, we also ⁠⁠accept donations⁠⁠.You can find more information here:⁠⁠ https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/

Grant McLeod, a cardiac arrest survivor from Canada, shares his story of surviving a cardiac arrest during a hockey game 8 months ago. In this episode, Grant discusses how he survived the event, what caused the cardiac arrest, and how his life has been since then.As I mention in the episode, I met Grant during one of our online Cardiac Comeback Crew meetups, which we host here at The Heart Warrior Project. If you are a survivor and you'd like to meet and chat with fellow survivors, be sure to check out the following page: Cardiac Comeback Crew (Online Meetup).Show notes about this episode: https://heartwarriorproject.com/my-cardiac-arrest-happened-on-the-hockey-field-heart-warrior-grant-mcleod/____🧡Get Involved - Support The Heart Warrior Project🧡Note that The Heart Warrior Project is run by one guy, which is yes, me (Jellis Vaes). In between work, studies at university, and just life, I try to squeeze in some time almost every day to work on this project. This project takes a lot of work, as I genuinely want to deliver high-quality and helpful content for survivors here. And I do it with a lot of love every day. However, help is always appreciated. If you have found any insights, lessons, or support from this or any other episode, and you’d like to support the project, we have a couple of ways to do so.We offer some ⁠⁠awesome-looking merch⁠⁠, such as T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs, with different designs that I personally love wearing/using myself. If you aren’t interested in any merch but still want to support the project, we also ⁠⁠accept donations⁠⁠.You can find more information here:⁠⁠ ⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/____Timestamps Intro 00:00 Grant's Story of Surviving a Cardiac Arrest 02:26 The Challenges of Getting an ICD 08:40 Managing Medication and Adjusting Daily Life 14:30 Getting used to the new 'normal' 21:43 Reprioritizing and Cherishing Time with Loved Ones 31:25 Support The Heart Warrior Project 40:00Grant's restrictions and future plans for sports 43:47 Saying goodbye to hockey 47:14 Fear and hesitation in returning to sports 49:42 Expressing gratitude to the person who performed CPR 51:10 Positive outcomes and actions after cardiac arrest 55:04 Difficulties in communicating with others 57:36 The importance of not going through it alone 59:06 Emotional support from loved ones 01:01:25 The mixed emotions that surviving a cardiac arrest elicit in survivors 1:04:50 Grant's advice for survivors 01:10:33 Outro 01:13:28 Support The Heart Warrior Project 1:15:01

What question would you like to ask Dr. Samuel Sears? Let me know by going to the following link: ⁠⁠⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/experts/⁠⁠⁠. Every once in a while, I will invite a medical professional or a health expert to the podcast of The Heart Warrior Project to help you as a cardiac arrest survivor live a better life. Whenever a new professional or health expert is about to appear on the podcast, I will give you the chance to ask a question you’d like me to ask that person. On the podcast, I will always make an announcement when another expert is about to come on the show, so don’t forget to follow the podcast to stay notified.

Markus Lindgren, my first guest on the show from Sweden, shares in this episode his recent experience of surviving a cardiac arrest and the impact it has had on his life. Having survived it only but 8 weeks from recording, it’s all pretty fresh. Yet, the way Markus approaches it all, and has returned to doing competitive dog agility (more of that in the episode), is inspiring.Show notes about this episode: https://heartwarriorproject.com/cardiac-arrest-survivor-and-dog-agility-champion-markus-lindgren/____🧡Get Involved - Support The Heart Warrior Project🧡Note that The Heart Warrior Project is run by one guy, which is yes, me (Jellis Vaes). In between work, studies at university, and just life, I try to squeeze in some time almost every day to work on this project. This project takes a lot of work, as I genuinely want to deliver high-quality and helpful content for survivors here. And I do it with a lot of love every day. However, help is always appreciated. If you have found any insights, lessons, or support from this or any other episode, and you’d like to support the project, we have a couple of ways to do so.We offer some ⁠⁠awesome-looking merch⁠⁠, such as T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs, with different designs that I personally love wearing/using myself. If you aren’t interested in any merch but still want to support the project, we also ⁠⁠accept donations⁠⁠.You can find more information here:⁠⁠ https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/

Winnie Donoghue, a cardiac arrest survivor and heart warrior, joins us on the show as the first guest from Ireland. In this episode, Winnie shares her journey of recovery after a cardiac arrest, discussing the complexity and uncertainty of cardiac health diagnosis, the importance of seeking multiple medical opinions and evaluations, the mind-body connection, and much more. Show notes about this episode: https://heartwarriorproject.com/i-had-a-cardiac-arrest-in-the-ambulance-winnie-donoghue/____🧡Get Involved - Support The Heart Warrior Project🧡Note that The Heart Warrior Project is run by one guy, which is yes, me (Jellis Vaes). In between work, studies at university, and just life, I try to squeeze in some time almost every day to work on this project. This project takes a lot of work, as I genuinely want to deliver high-quality and helpful content for survivors here. And I do it with a lot of love every day. However, help is always appreciated. If you have found any insights, lessons, or support from this or any other episode, and you’d like to support the project, we have a couple of ways to do so.We offer some ⁠⁠awesome-looking merch⁠⁠, such as T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs, with different designs that I personally love wearing/using myself. If you aren’t interested in any merch but still want to support the project, we also ⁠⁠accept donations⁠⁠.You can find more information here:⁠⁠ https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/____TimestampsIntro 00:00 - 01:21Winnie’s Cardiac Arrest and Supposed Cause at the Time 01:22 - 14:15A Second opinion and Diagnosis 14:16 - 23:34Support The Heart Warrior Project 23:35 - 25:55Experience with an SICD 25:56 - 31:04Life Post-Cardiac Arrest: The Long Road to Recovery 31:05 - 42:38Shift in Priorities and Pursuits 42:39 - 49:01The Impact of the Cardiac Arrest on Winnie’s Children 49:02 - 56:10Healing the Mind-Body Connection 56:11 - 1:06:20Embracing Kindness and Self-Compassion 1:06:21 - 1:08:48Outro 1:08:49 - 1:10:03Support The Heart Warrior Project 1:10:04 - 1:11:46