Evelyn Walker, 17, from Hertfordshire, UK, collapsed at school in February after feeling mild chest pains. What started as a normal morning quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency.

“I felt fine… until I started getting chest pains,” Evelyn said. Minutes later, she collapsed. School staff performed CPR and used a defibrillator, shocking her heart twice before rushing her to hospital. Evelyn was placed in a coma and spent a month recovering. Doctors believe she may have an undiagnosed heart condition, but the cause remains unclear.

“I was just told it was anxiety,” Evelyn said. “If I were over 60, they would’ve looked into it further.”

Now fitted with an internal defibrillator, Evelyn urges others to trust their instincts: “Don’t just assume doctors are right. You know your own body.”

Her mother, Jennifer, has since launched Young Hearts UK to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in youth. “Twelve young people under 35 die each week from SCA,” she said. “Learn CPR. Know where your nearest defibrillator is. It can save a life.”