Denisa Fraser, 33, from Horsham, West Sussex, had been living with two rare heart conditions, discovered after a free workplace health assessment. For years, she attributed her dizzy spells and faintness to being unfit or stressed, but tests revealed she had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a rare heart rhythm disorder, and a large coronary sinus diverticulum, a rare pouch in a vein of her heart.
Unexpected Diagnosis
In March 2026, during a routine health assessment at the Clevedon Clinic London Hospital, doctors questioned Denisa about her symptoms. She had expected the check to be like an "MOT," as she considered herself healthy, doing yoga, spin classes, and running. However, when she ran, she felt faint and her heart raced, which she thought was due to lack of fitness.
Denisa, originally from Czechia, said: "I genuinely thought everyone felt like that. I thought it was just going to be an MOT because I considered myself healthy." She added: "I'd have times where my heart would suddenly go crazy, into the hundreds, and stay there. At work I thought it was just because I was angry or stressed. I genuinely thought it was normal."
Complex Procedure
During a procedure expected to last 30 minutes, doctors triggered an abnormal heart rhythm, sending her heart rate to 260 beats per minute. They found the condition more complex than anticipated, keeping her under anaesthetic for over three hours. They diagnosed Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and discovered the diverticulum, which prevented safe completion of the procedure.
On May 22, she underwent a second eight-hour operation to map and treat the abnormal pathways. Recovery was rough initially, but she soon noticed improvements: she could exercise without her heart racing, breathed more easily, and felt calmer.
Call to Action
Denisa, a procurement manager, urges others not to ignore persistent symptoms. She said: "If you're offered a health check, just do it. Don't assume you're not in the risky category because you're young or active." She added: "I think a lot of women put symptoms down to stress, hormones or their period and just carry on. I was putting so many symptoms down to not being fit enough when actually there was something wrong."
