Heart Warrior Project: For cardiac arrest survivors & those at risk

Jellis Vaes

I’m Jellis Vaes, founder of The Heart Warrior Project and a sudden cardiac arrest survivor. I started this project after experiencing firsthand how intense and life-altering this journey can be — and how little emotional support is available. The Heart Warrior Project is dedicated to supporting cardiac arrest survivors and those at risk. On the podcast, I sit down not only with fellow survivors, but also with cardiologists, psychologists, and other experts to explore both the physical and emotional sides of recovery.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    A Live Q&A with Cardiologist Dr. Sanjay Gupta | Your Heart Health Questions Answered

    Help the heart of The Heart Warrior Project continue beating by supporting us: https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved In this episode, you're listening to a recording of our live Q&A meetup with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a consultant cardiologist at York Teaching Hospital in the UK. Besides his clinical work, Dr. Gupta also runs the YouTube channel York Cardiology, which has over 500,000 subscribers dedicated to free heart health education. Every month, we organize multiple online meetups, and occasionally, we host a special live session where fellow heart warriors from our community, survivors of cardiac arrest, and those at risk get to ask their personal questions directly to a cardiac expert. If you are a fellow SCA survivor or someone at risk, and you’d like to stay aware of when our next monthly meetup will happen, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Instagram. An announcement will be posted there with information on how to sign up. These meetups are, by the way, completely free

    55 min
  2. I Died While Running, Now I’m Running a Marathon | Becca Travis

    14 APR

    I Died While Running, Now I’m Running a Marathon | Becca Travis

    Becca Travis, a sudden cardiac arrest survivor, collapsed in 2024 at the age of 24 while out for a run.  Today, she is preparing to run her first marathon, the London Marathon, to raise awareness of heart health and funds for the British Heart Foundation, supporting life-saving research, patient care, and CPR training, the skill that saved her life.  Inspired by her story and want to support this campaign? You can donate via the following link: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/rebecca-travis  ____________ ❤️ Help Me Keep the Project Alive! ❤️ If you found this episode helpful, consider supporting the project to help keep the heart of The Heart Warrior Project beating. Your support is greatly needed. You can donate, become a member, or browse our merch through the following link: ⁠⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/⁠⁠ Thank you, truly, for supporting this project! ❤️💪

    1hr 13min
  3. Upcoming Health Expert! Dr. Rosy Thachil

    16 MAR

    Upcoming Health Expert! Dr. Rosy Thachil

    What question do you want me to ask Dr. Thachil? You can send them in through the following link: https://heartwarriorproject.com/experts/

    2 min
  4. Dr. Sanjay Gupta – Where Modern Medicine Falls Short & Why Lifestyle Matters More Than You Think

    26 FEB

    Dr. Sanjay Gupta – Where Modern Medicine Falls Short & Why Lifestyle Matters More Than You Think

    In this Q&A episode, I’m joined by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Consultant Cardiologist at York Teaching Hospital in the UK. With nearly 28 years of experience, Dr. Gupta is passionate about doing healthcare differently — focusing on lifestyle, prevention, and empowering patients to understand their hearts without unnecessary fear. Beyond his clinical work, he shares clear, evidence-based, jargon-free heart health information on his YouTube channel, York Cardiology, reaching over 500,000 subscribers. If you’d like to ask your question to the next cardiac expert, follow us on Instagram or subscribe to our newsletter — that’s where I’ll announce it. Instagram: www.instagram.com/heartwarriorproject Newsletter: heartwarriorproject.com/newsletter ____________ ❤️ Help Me Keep the Project Alive! ❤️ If you found this episode helpful, consider supporting the project to help keep the heart of The Heart Warrior Project beating. Your support is greatly needed. You can donate, become a member, or browse our merch through the following link: ⁠https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/⁠ Thank you, truly, for supporting this project! ❤️💪

    1hr 8min
  5. The Reality of Living with an ICD: Will’s First Shock Experience

    16 FEB

    The Reality of Living with an ICD: Will’s First Shock Experience

    In this episode of The Heart Warrior Project, I sit down with Will, a fellow cardiac arrest survivor, to talk openly about something many ICD patients fear: receiving a shock. This is the full, in-depth conversation with Will about his recent ICD shock—what happened, what it felt like, and what went through his mind in those intense moments. This episode is also part of a larger, in-depth video about ICD shocks featuring multiple survivor experiences and professional guidance from Dr. Samuel Sears, a clinical health psychologist specialized in working with ICD patients. If you want to learn even more about ICD shocks—what to do, how to cope, and how to process the emotional aftermath—be sure to check out the full ICD shock episode: ICD Shocks: How Painful Are They—and How Do You Cope Afterward?

    44 min
  6. Heart Warriors Make the Best Romantic Partners (Here's Why)

    1 FEB

    Heart Warriors Make the Best Romantic Partners (Here's Why)

    Love and dating can feel complicated after surviving a sudden cardiac arrest, living with heart disease, carrying an ICD, taking medication, or navigating physical limitations. Quiet doubts can begin to surface: Will someone still choose me? Will I be rejected because of what I’ve been through? Am I still enough? In this episode, I reflect on what I’ve witnessed firsthand through countless conversations with heart warriors—both on the podcast and during our monthly meetups—and share the remarkable qualities they embody. This episode isn’t about pretending that things are easy. It’s about flipping the narrative. Rather than focusing on fear, limitation, or illness, I explore why dating or building a life with a heart warrior can be deeply enriching—and why heart warriors make extraordinary partners. ____________ ❤️ Help Me Keep the Project Alive! ❤️ If you found this episode helpful, consider supporting the project to help keep the heart of The Heart Warrior Project beating. Your support is greatly needed. You can donate, become a member, or browse our merch through the following link: https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/ Thank you, truly, for supporting this project! ❤️💪

    14 min

  7. 28 JAN

    Upcoming Health Expert! Dr. Sanjay Gupta

    Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a consultant cardiologist at York Teaching Hospital in the UK, with a specialist focus on cardiac imaging, lifestyle medicine, and patient empowerment, is joining the podcast in a couple of days for a Q&A episode. What questions do you have for Dr. Gupta on cardiac imaging, lifestyle and patient empowerment, or medications — benefits vs side effects? You can leave your questions by going to this page:https://heartwarriorproject.com/experts/ Questions can be submitted until February 12, 2026.

    5 min

  8. 1 JAN

    ICD Shocks: How Painful Are They—and How Do You Cope Afterward?

    If this episode was helpful, consider supporting The Heart Warrior Project through merch, donations, or become a Heart Warrior Patron. 👉 https://heartwarriorproject.com/getinvolved/ After leaving the hospital, we don’t receive a manual on how to cope with the mental load of living with an ICD, or what to do if a shock occurs. That’s why I created this in-depth video/podcast episode, where members of our community—Will, Elise, and myself—share their personal experiences of receiving an ICD shock and what helped them navigate it. We’re also joined by Dr. Sears, a clinical health psychologist specializing in quality of life for people with ICDs, who offers professional insights on coping with anxiety, responding to a shock, and rebuilding confidence afterward. I hope this episode can serve as a guide and provide meaningful support for living with an ICD. Cardiac Comeback Crew (Online Meetup) Want to meet fellow SCA survivors or those who are at high risk? Come join our international family of heart warriors. It’s completely free. Every month, we host two online meetups. Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Instagram to stay informed about when the next one will happen. https://heartwarriorproject.com/newsletter/ https://www.instagram.com/heartwarriorproject/

    45 min
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About

I’m Jellis Vaes, founder of The Heart Warrior Project and a sudden cardiac arrest survivor. I started this project after experiencing firsthand how intense and life-altering this journey can be — and how little emotional support is available. The Heart Warrior Project is dedicated to supporting cardiac arrest survivors and those at risk. On the podcast, I sit down not only with fellow survivors, but also with cardiologists, psychologists, and other experts to explore both the physical and emotional sides of recovery.

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