> At a Glance
> – Faye Greenwood, 24, suffered a heart attack in Paris last summer
> – Medics initially dismissed her symptoms as drunkenness, delaying care
> – She later received a heart transplant and left hospital in four months
> – Why it matters: Young women’s cardiac symptoms are often overlooked-Greenwood urges anyone with chest pain to push for help
A British lifestyle influencer’s vacation turned life-threatening when she collapsed with a heart attack at age 24, then endured a six-and-a-half-hour wait for treatment before ultimately receiving a new heart.
Misread Symptoms in Paris
Greenwood says first responders thought she might be drunk, and emergency-room staff left her sitting in pain for hours. She went back to her Airbnb, vomited blood, and was finally rushed into surgery after partner Ailbhe Lower called for help again.
Road to a New Heart
Back in the U.K., doctors placed her on the transplant list. A donor match emerged quickly, and surgeons swapped her failing heart for a healthy one. She walked out of hospital just over four months later.
Medical costs mounted:
- French hospital bill: £14,000 (~$18,800)
- Air-ambulance flight home: £40,000 (~$53,700)
Life With a “Borrowed Heartbeat”
Greenwood, now engaged to Lower, calls the organ her “special borrowed heartbeat” and says every moment feels more precious. She told the BBC she hopes her story pushes others to demand evaluation for even small cardiac symptoms.
Key Takeaways
- Age bias delayed Greenwood’s diagnosis; chest pain in young women is often dismissed
- She received a transplant within months and urges early medical checks
- Total emergency bills topped £54,000, highlighting travel-insurance gaps
Greenwood’s message: if something feels wrong, insist on tests-because “it won’t happen to me” can happen to anyone.
