A Wake-Up Call at 39

In Dec 2023, Mr Alvin Mercado experienced what would be the first of several life-changing cardiac events. While waiting at a clinic to collect his daughter’s medication, he broke out in a cold sweat and struggled to breathe. The attending staff quickly referred him to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where doctors confirmed a heart attack and performed emergency angioplasty to insert a stent into a blocked artery. One month later, a second blockage required another stent.

The following year brought more complications. While in the Philippines attending his brother’s wake — his brother had died of cardiac arrest — Alvin suffered another heart attack. Due to limited medical facilities, he was transferred across multiple hospitals before a final diagnosis revealed three additional arterial blockages. Another angioplasty followed, with three more stents inserted.

After his first heart attack, Alvin had been referred to the Singapore Heart Foundation’s Heart Wellness Centre (HWC). He did not respond, citing work pressures and feeling out of place. “I thought I was too young compared to other heart patients,” he recalled. But the second heart attack shifted his thinking. He joined the HWC @ Bukit Gombak, attending sessions once a week. Now, he admits — “I should have started earlier.”

Alvin appreciates how the HWC team tailored the programme to his needs. Because of a spinal injury that limits weight-bearing on his left side, physiotherapists customised his exercises using specific resistance machines. That attention to detail allowed him to rebuild strength without risking further injury.

He has also benefited from the nutrition consultations. “I thought I was eating healthy,” he says. “But I learned some of my food choices weren’t helping at all. That feedback was important — it pushed me to course-correct.”

The change at home was just as significant. His family adopted his new diet and activity routines. Walks became family affairs. Swimming became a shared activity. “They didn’t just support me — they joined me,” he said. That unity became a key motivator.

Alvin was concerned initially about being one of the youngest in the group. “I was the only one in my 30s. But no one judged. Everyone there was focused on recovery.” He urges other young cardiac patients not to delay seeking help. “You’re not in a competition with anyone. Everyone is on his own path. And at $5 a session, the value of the programme far outweighs the cost.”

The second heart attack — triggered by grief at his brother’s funeral—was a sobering lesson in the link between emotional and physical resilience. “A resilient heart means more than surviving physically. You also have to handle the emotional side. Stress can be just as dangerous,” Alvin cautions.

He expresses deep gratitude to the HWC team. “The physiotherapists were patient and attentive. They treated me like a person, not a statistic. That made a difficult process far more bearable.”

As the Singapore Heart Foundation celebrates its 55th anniversary, Alvin reflects on its mission and outreach. “You’ve touched so many people from all walks of life. I’m grateful to be one of them.”

To learn more about the Heart Wellness Programme, visit
https://www.myheart.org.sg/heart-wellness-programme

Watch Mr Alvin Mercardo’s story here: