The Heart Warrior Project

03/04/2026

People often ask me, "Can you still move, be mobile, and exercise with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)? I think the video shows that you can… right."

I am by no means giving medical advice (I am not a doctor), but simply sharing personal, real-life experience.

The ICD itself is generally not the main limiting factor when it comes to exercise; it is rather the underlying heart condition or the reason why you have the ICD that may set certain boundaries. In some cases, the device and its programming can also influence how you exercise safely. But overall, you can still exercise despite having an ICD.

If you want to learn more about ICDs, how they work, what you can and can't do with them, and more, have a listen to the podcast episode I did with Douglas Rachac, an ICD expert.

Search for The Heart Warrior Project on your favorite podcast app and look for the episode with Douglas Rachac.

02/04/2026

Arrived back from a work trip to Madrid, to Boston Scientific. ✈️ Not too long ago, I joined their board of patient advisors, and they invited the whole board to meet each other and spend a full, packed day helping to improve the products and services for their patients.

It was a long, intense, but very meaningful workday, giving feedback and sharing thoughts from my own 25+ years of experience living with heart disease ❤️, living with an ICD, and from the hundreds of fellow heart warriors I have met through the Heart Warrior Project, on improving patient care, ICDs, the home monitor, and much more…

I’ve now had the chance to get a peek behind the scenes of other organizations and companies in the medical industry. One thing I often wish more people could see, and that I strongly experienced at Boston Scientific, is the genuine passion, drive, and hard work of the people behind these products and services, all trying to make a real difference for us patients.

Grateful to have this opportunity and to work side by side with some incredible patients, doctors, engineers, and other professionals at Boston Scientific, helping to impact the quality of care for us patients, and to do this alongside some incredible humans. 🤝

I am currently editing a vlog about the day I spent at Boston Scientific, with more behind-the-scenes content. 🎥 If you are curious, head over to our YouTube channel by searching for The Heart Warrior Project. It will be uploaded in a couple of days!

28/03/2026

Did you know that globally, every year, millions of hearts stop from a sudden cardiac arrest? Did you also know that the survival rate is approximately 10%?

We can do so much better.

And there are ways to do so.

Together with Red Cross Flanders, I organized, with the Heart Warrior Project, an event to bring awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, and to teach people CPR that day as well.

Because that right there—knowing how to perform CPR—is crucial to improve those numbers.
It saved my life. And countless others.

Sign up for a CPR course in your local community. They are often free, don’t take a lot of time, and you’ll gain a life skill that saves lives.

26/03/2026

Hey everyone,

We’re hosting our first open discussion meetup for April. This one will take place on April 2nd and will be hosted by Matt, a fellow heart warrior from our team (who you might have seen a few times already in the meetups).

Come join us, meet fellow heart warriors from around the world, and let’s connect, share, and support one another.

You can sign up through the following link: https://calendly.com/d/ctv7-wq8-6cv/cardiac-comeback-crew-open-discussion?month=2026-04

24/03/2026

It’s been a little quiet—but only because I’ve been working on a lot behind the scenes 👀

Here’s what’s coming soon:

- 🎙️ New episodes with heart warriors
- ❓ A Q&A episode with cardiologist Dr. Rosy Thachil
- 🎥 A new video that’s been in the making for a long time
- 🌐 A fresh new website design (this is taking a loooooooot of work 😅)
- 📅 A live Q&A meetup in April with Dr. Gupta

Stay tuned! 🚀

18/03/2026

Dr. Rosy Thachil will be joining us soon for a Q&A episode focused entirely on women’s heart health 🫀✨

And I’d love to include your questions.

What would you like to know about women’s heart health?

Drop your question below 👇

12/03/2026

Heart Warriors & Loved Ones ❤️

We’re hosting a themed meetup inviting both heart warriors and co-survivors or loved ones. Surviving an SCA, or living with the risk of one, impacts not only the heart warrior, but also the people around them.

In this meetup, we bring both sides together to connect, share, and support one another. 🤝

https://calendly.com/d/cxsh-qz2-4r6/hwp-meetup-theme-heart-warriors-loved-ones

11/03/2026

The Heart Warrior Project exists to support people around the world who have survived a sudden cardiac arrest or who are at high risk — through conversations with experts, real survivor stories, and a growing community of heart warriors.

If this project has helped you, inspired you, or made you feel less alone, consider supporting it on Ko-fi.

Your support helps keep this project alive and allows us to keep creating content, organizing meetups, and supporting heart warriors everywhere. ❤️

Support the project: https://ko-fi.com/heartwarriorproject

09/03/2026

East Carolina University recently published an article about the Heart Warrior Project and the work we’re doing to support people around the world living with cardiac arrest and ICDs.

The project was born from my own experience surviving a sudden cardiac arrest. One of the things I quickly realized afterwards was how many people feel alone while navigating the emotional and psychological side of this very unexpected journey we are thrown onto.

Through the podcast and community, my goal has always been simple: to create a place where heart warriors can learn, connect, and feel understood.

The article highlights the Heart Warrior Project and features Dr. Sam Sears, clinical health psychologist and professor at East Carolina University, who has joined the podcast multiple times to share his expertise with the community.

As I shared in the article:

“In a doctor’s appointment, you only have 10 minutes. With a podcast, we have an hour with them, and it will live online forever. More medical doctors should do this, and Dr. Sears is an incredible example of someone who does it so well.”

I’m forever grateful to Dr. Sears and to all the cardiac health experts who have joined the podcast for taking time out of their busy schedules to share their knowledge, support this community, and help heart warriors around the world feel a little less alone.

You can read the full article here:

ECU's Dr. Samuel Sears helps heart patients move forward with confidence on YouTube channel Heart Warriors Project channel.

06/03/2026

A few days ago, it was my 5th re-birthday. ❤️

Even after 5 years, when I wake up (my sudden cardiac arrest happened in my sleep), I still very often feel a deep sense of relief — followed by gratitude that I get to wake up to another day.

Another day to spend time with the people I care about, and to do work that feels meaningful to me, like continuing to build The Heart Warrior Project.

It made me quite emotional a few days ago. There have been many downs along the way. Moments of fear, uncertainty, frustration, and times when life felt very fragile.

But some of the ups… they have been so special and so unexpected that they have made my life richer in ways I never expected.

Meeting incredible fellow heart warriors ❤️ — people with whom you instantly share a bond that is hard to explain to anyone else. Experiencing the warmth, kindness, and genuine care from people all around the world who understand this strange path we’re walking together. 🌍

It’s something truly special.

Surviving a sudden cardiac arrest changes you. It forces you to look at life differently. At times, that can be heavy. But it also sharpens what really matters. The small moments. A conversation with a friend. A quiet morning. The ability to help someone else who is going through something similar. 🤝

Five years ago, I almost didn’t wake up again.

And yet, here we are.

Five extra years of life. Five years of learning. Five years of meeting incredible people. Five years of trying to turn something frightening into something meaningful.

And while the future is uncertain, given the progression of my heart disease, I know this journey will likely remain a challenging one. However, knowing I am not alone out there — that there are fellow heart warriors and loved ones with me on this ride — helps tremendously. 🤍

I also want to extend that to you. If you are reading this, and you are a fellow heart warrior who feels lost and alone on this journey, know that every month a group of international heart warriors comes together for online meetups (and at times even in-person meetups) to check in with each other, talk, laugh, and provide genuine support.

And you are welcomed with open arms in our community. 🫂

Through the following link, you can read more about the meetups: https://heartwarriorproject.com/online-meetup-for-cardiac-arrest-survivors/

And be sure to follow us to stay tuned when the next one will happen.

It’s tough being a heart warrior. But it’s a little bit less so when faced together with other heart warriors. ❤️‍🩹

04/03/2026

I’m excited to announce that Dr. Rosy Thachil will be joining us for an upcoming Q&A episode of The Heart Warrior Project. ❤️

Dr. Thachil is a board-certified non-invasive cardiologist in New York City whose work focuses on women’s heart health, cardiac critical care, and health disparities. She is passionate about advancing evidence-based cardiovascular care for women and historically marginalized communities.

In 2025, she was named to Cardiovascular Business Magazine’s “Forty Under 40”, recognizing emerging leaders shaping the future of cardiovascular care.

Given the lack of awareness around women’s heart health ❤️‍🩹, this episode will focus entirely on this topic.

So, what questions do you have for Dr. Thachil? 👩‍⚕️ You can leave them in the comments 💬, or use the link to drop a question there, and I'll ask Dr. Thachil in the interview 🎙️.

Looking forward to receiving your questions! 😊

Have a look at who the next cardiac health expert will be on The Heart Warrior Project podcast and ask your questions.

27/02/2026

A new episode is out now!

In this Q&A episode of The Heart Warrior Project, I’m joined by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Consultant Cardiologist at York Teaching Hospital in the UK.🫀

With nearly 28 years of experience, Dr. Gupta is passionate about doing healthcare differently — focusing on lifestyle, prevention, and empowering patients to understand their hearts without unnecessary fear.

He leads the hospital’s non-invasive imaging unit, performs hundreds of advanced cardiac investigations each year, and has received multiple Clinical Excellence Awards, including York Cardiology’s “Cardiologist of the Year” in Yorkshire.

Beyond his clinical work, he shares clear, evidence-based, jargon-free heart health information on his YouTube channel, York Cardiology, reaching over 500,000 subscribers.

I really hope that those who listen may find some valuable insights. 🙏

I’m also always curious to hear what you think about the conversation! 💬

In this Q&A episode of The Heart Warrior Project, I’m joined by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Consultant Cardiologist at York Teaching Hospital in the UK.With nearly 28 ...