She said the comment insinuated that she might have brought it on herself, which “was hurtful and inaccurate”.
“I’m resilient, but my family and friends had gone through a lot with me when I was ill, and the comment was unnecessary and unkind”, she told BBC Radio Newcastle.
“As a mother though you feel guilty enough putting your children through a scare like my heart attack and you can’t help but think did I do something to cause it?
“It was just one of the aspects of shaming and stigma that I’ve experienced as someone living with heart disease.
“It’s something that affects lots of people and it’s not right that somebody should behave that way.”
She said she hoped the benches would provide a place to take time out to explain the “complex feelings” you can have after a diagnosis, as well as to share hopes for the future.