At 45 years old, Esther Stanhope was thriving.

Former BBC producer. International speaker. Businesswoman. Mother. Constantly moving. Constantly performing. Constantly “pushing through.”

Then came the whispers:breathlessness,tightness in her chest,fatigue,a strange sensation in her arm.

Nothing dramatic.Nothing that looked like the heart attacks she thought happened to “other people.”

So she ignored it.

In this deeply honest and powerful episode of The HEART of the Matter, Dr Carol Ighofose talks with author, speaker, and visibility expert Esther Stanhope to explore the heart attack that changed everything — not only physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically.

📘 Esther’s award-shortlisted book Visibly Brilliant explores how to communicate with confidence, visibility, and authenticity in life and business.

Grab your copy here: https://www.estherstanhope.com/shop/p/visibly-brilliant-special-edition

Together they discuss:

✨ Why women’s heart attack symptoms are so often missed

✨ The hidden pressure many high-achieving women carry

✨ Stress, ambition, identity, and burnout

✨ The emotional aftermath of survival

✨ Rebuilding life after serious illness

✨ Why “functioning” is not the same as flourishing

With warmth, humour, vulnerability, and wisdom, Esther shares how a major cardiac event became not the end of her story — but the beginning of a profound re-evaluation of life, health, purpose, and wellbeing.

This is not simply a conversation about surviving a heart attack.

It is a conversation about becoming.

🎙️ Featured Guest:Esther StanhopeFormer BBC Producer | International Speaker | Visibility ExpertAuthor of Visibly Brilliant — shortlisted for Business Book of the Year Awards 2026

✨ Spirit over status.✨ Purpose over pressure.✨ Health over hustle.