Will's story

It started when I was about 12 or 13. I’d be sitting down or exercising and suddenly my heart would start racing—sometimes up to 200 beats per minute. At the time, it was put down to anxiety. Because I was a healthy kid, no one suspected a heart condition, so I just lived with it until I left school at 16.

I started an apprenticeship as a plumber, and during the 2020 lockdown, things changed. I was walking when I felt an attack coming on. This time, it was followed by a strange sensation—like my heart had dropped off a rollercoaster—and then a sharp pain began radiating down my left arm.

Over the following months, I began blacking out. I’d pass out at work, at home in the corridor, or even in the shower. I knew then it wasn’t just anxiety. Eventually, I was referred to a specialist in the UK, who diagnosed me with a severe form of SVT (supraventricular tachycardia).

At 17, I flew to Liverpool for a cardiac ablation. What was supposed to be a simple 90-minute procedure turned into a nine-hour operation because my heart is shaped slightly differently from most people’s. I was awake the whole time. It was terrifying, and the recovery was even harder. I returned to the Isle of Man in a wheelchair, had to self-isolate due to COVID restrictions, and found myself struggling both physically and mentally.

Shortly after, I was diagnosed with pericarditis—fluid around the heart—which required further treatment. The cardiac depression that followed was a real battle. I felt like a shadow of my former self, unable to do the job I loved or take part in the sports I enjoyed.

With the help of a local personal trainer in Ramsey and the support of the community, I began the long process of rebuilding myself. It took years, but that surgery gave me my life back.

If I could give any advice to others on the Island, it would be to trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right, and don’t be afraid to ask your family about their medical history—I only found out after my surgery that heart conditions ran in my family.