By Olivia Schofield
“My heart attack came out of nowhere with no warning.”
Maggie Sheehan, Founder of the Indian Block Print Co., and her daughter Tess Hucker are sharing their experience after Maggie’s heart attack, as part of a new partnership between Heart Research UK and The Indian Block Print Co., which has created a limited-edition heart tea towel block print kits.
In 2014, Maggie Sheehan was travelling to Heathrow Airport on the M25 when she began to feel unwell. Then, the 58-year-old was overcome with a tight feeling in her chest and suddenly passed out.
Her daughter, Tess Hucker who runs the company with her, was driving at the time and had to pull onto the hard shoulder and call 999. Shortly after Tess made the emergency call, Maggie regained consciousness.
Maggie, 67, said: “I couldn’t move my upper arms and the pain was so bad, it went all across my chest. I came to the frightening realisation that I am either having a heart attack or a stroke.”
At that moment, 20-year-old Tess was unsure what to do to help her mum and felt completely helpless.
Tess, now 29, said: “My mum was so frightened. She was in a lot of pain. It makes me emotional to relive it because Mum started saying goodbye to me. It was horrible.”
“I was one of the lucky ones, I’m here to tell my story, but sadly there are so many people who aren’t as lucky and a simple heart health check with your GP could be lifesaving.”
When the ambulance arrived, they quickly identified that Maggie was having a heart attack, and she was taken to Harefield Hospital.
Maggie explained: “I remember being in a lot of pain, but it happened so quickly. When we got to the hospital, they quickly identified that I had a blockage in my heart, and they were going to put a stent in.”
After the surgery, Maggie went to rehabilitation at her local hospital, where she made a full recovery and was given advice on how to improve her lifestyle.
Both Maggie and Tess decided to get matching heart tattoos on their wrists after their experience to mark the spot where Maggie’s lifesaving stent was inserted.
Maggie continued: “My heart attack came out of nowhere with no warning, so it would have been a silent killer for me. I’ve always thought if I’d been on my own that day, that would have been the end of it.”
Inspired by Maggie’s and Tess’s experience, the Indian Block Print Co. has partnered with national heart charity, Heart Research UK, to raise money and awareness of heart diseases in women by creating a limited-edition heart tea towel block printing craft kit.
Maggie explained: “I was told my blood pressure, and my cholesterol were very high. I hadn’t prioritised my health before I had the heart attack. There was nothing wrong with my health. I felt I was healthy and normal.
“My message to all women is to go get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked as soon as possible. It came out of nowhere, so please don’t let denial get in the way of your health. I was one of the lucky ones, I’m here to tell my story, but sadly there are so many people who aren’t as lucky and a simple heart health check with your GP could be lifesaving.”
£10 from every sale of the heart tea towel block print craft kits will be donated to Heart Research UK, supporting their lifesaving research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart diseases.
The Indian Block Print Co. and Heart Research UK: limited edition heart tea towel block print kit is available to buy now from: www.theindianblockprintco.com
