26/11/2025
It changed the course of my life.
All through my teenage years, I kept going back to the GP because something didn’t feel right. I was repeatedly told it was asthma, and for a long time, I tried to accept that explanation — even though it never quite made sense to me.
At 20, I was studying French and Spanish at uni and trying to get fitter through running. But no matter what I did, nothing improved. It would’ve been easy to blame myself or just push harder, but something in me kept saying, “This isn’t right — get it checked.”
Booking that GP appointment changed everything.
After tests and referrals, I found out I had a common atrium, a congenital heart condition, and needed open-heart surgery at 20 years old. Recovery was long and frightening, but it completely shifted my perspective.
It made me understand how powerful and precious the body is, and it lit a spark. I realised I wanted to work in healthcare. I wanted women to trust their instincts, notice their symptoms, and advocate early.
So I left my languages degree (despite plenty of people telling me not to), went back to college for Biology, and with support from my mum, a midwife landed my first job as a maternity care assistant.
From my first shift, I felt at home in women’s health. That path led me into physiotherapy, then my MSc in women’s health, and now towards my PhD resistance training and menopause.
And interestingly, instead of holding me back, heart surgery pushed me closer to fitness. Since then, I’ve done a half Ironman, marathon races, and lifted weights I never thought possible.
All because at 20, I listened to that quiet voice telling me something deeper was going on.
If you’re in your 20s — or any age — trust yourself. Pay attention to your symptoms. Your body usually whispers before it shouts. Sometimes that small inner nudge is what changes everything.
Hell, I could have been a linguist that never spoke about v^luvas rn!!! 🤣
