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What if a healthy, active 38-year-old mum suddenly experienced crushing chest pain, numb arms and a jaw that wouldn’t cooperate — and no one expected it to be a heart attack?

That is exactly what happened to Rowena Breese.

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Rowena shares her journey of surviving two heart attacks caused by spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) — a rare heart condition that can affect younger, otherwise healthy women and can sometimes be mistaken for anxiety or overlooked.

From her first SCAD heart attack at Christmas in 2018 to the second, Rowena opens up about what life after a heart attack really looks like: the fear of every new chest sensation, the emotional impact of recovery, medication, stress, family responsibilities and learning to trust her body again.

We talk about:

❤️ What SCAD is and why awareness matters
❤️ Heart attack symptoms women should never ignore
❤️ The reality of recovering from a heart attack at a young age
❤️ Living with fear after a cardiac event
❤️ Stress, anxiety and the connection between mind and body
❤️ How yoga and gentle breathwork helped Rowena rebuild
❤️ Turning a frightening experience into awareness and fundraising for Beat SCAD
❤️ Women's heart health and why more awareness is needed
❤️ Finding courage and learning to trust life again

Rowena's story is one of survival, resilience, courage and hope. Her experience reminds us that heart attacks don't always happen to the people we expect — and that listening to your body and speaking up about your symptoms can be incredibly important.

If you've ever experienced a health crisis, lived with fear after a traumatic event, or found yourself having to rebuild your life in ways you never expected, this conversation will remind you that healing isn't always about going back to who you were. Sometimes, it's about discovering a new strength within yourself.

🎧 Listen now and hear Rowena's remarkable story.

If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe, follow, leave a review and share it with someone who may need to hear Rowena's story.

Create the Courage to be Fearless™ — because sometimes courage is simply choosing to keep moving forward, one day at a time.

Instagram Yoga Page: myyogajourney_row
Beat SCAD Website: beatscad.org.uk

YOGA EVENT
on Sunday 13th September 2026, 3 - 5pm
Manor Farm Barns, Fox Road, Norwich NR14 7PZ
To secure a place, please book in advance by contacting:
rowenabreese@hotmail.co.uk
Insta: myyogajourney_row
proceeds being donated to Beat SCAD
Awareness | Support | Research

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I look forward to connecting with you Anita Mattu https://linktr.ee/AnitaMattu