What is SCAD?

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) is a rare condition where a tear or bruise develops in a coronary artery and prevents normal blood flow. This can cause a heart attack, heart failure, cardiac arrest and can be fatal. SCAD cannot currently be predicted or prevented and is underdiagnosed due to a lack of awareness. People affected by SCAD often fail to act on their symptoms because they don't suspect it could be their heart when they are fit and healthy. 

Beat SCAD Charity

Beat SCAD is a patient-led charity that launched in 2015 to raise awareness of SCAD, support SCAD patients and their families, and raise funds for research to find answers about this condition. So far, the charity has donated £78,000 to research and this money has helped to reveal important pieces of the puzzle for understanding SCAD. This has only been possible due to incredible support and fundraising by the small but mighty SCAD community. Every pound raised can help to keep our research pushing forward. 

In May 2019 the Beat SCAD Scottish Patient Group was formed as a response to the recognised gap in Scottish care provision and a concerning lack of awareness of the condition in Scotland. The patient group supports the main mission of the Beat SCAD charity, namely to:

• Raise AWARENESS
• Provide SUPPORT
• Fund RESEARCH 
  

Research is under way in Leicester at the Glenfield Hospital & NIHR Biomedical Research Centre to find answers to why SCAD happens and how best to treat it.

Beat SCAD are now working to raise £64,000 for the Alice Project to fund an additional year of research by Dr Wood (clinical research fellow). Numerous events hosted by the charity plus challenges completed by  amazing supporters will make this goal possible.

The Beat SCAD Scottish Patient Group are hosting a walk in Edinburgh on Saturday 31st August, where SCAD patients, their families and friends will come together to support one another and further the Beat SCAD mission.

SCAD survivors, family and friends will meet at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art 2, Edinburgh at 1330 and get the opportunity to meet and mingle.  Margaret Davis, Beat SCAD Scottish Patient Lead, will give an update on the latest Beat SCAD news from Scotland.  Our walk will begin at 1530 and take us along historic city streets and along the Water of Leith on the walkway.  Our walk will finish at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art 1 at c.1700, where we will congregate for refreshments!

We invite you to make a donation of £10 per adult if you are attending the walk.  Additional donations can be made via this route too or if you wish to explore other fundraising options, please visit the Beat SCAD website for more details.

http://beatscad.org.uk/how-to-donate-to-beat-scad/

Please read about some of our personal Scottish SCAD journeys below.

Margaret’s story - http://beatscad.org.uk/margarets-story/

The day after falling during a walk in the Lake District and dislocating her elbow, Margaret had a SCAD.

“The level of care at Blackpool was excellent and given with such kindness. They explained that so little was understood about SCAD. Dr Wood (SCAD researcher) emailed me while I was still at Blackpool and that started my journey of learning how to live with a rare
disease.”

Colette’s story - http://beatscad.org.uk/colettes-story/

Colette had a SCAD in April 2018 aged 35. A slim, healthy mum of two, she felt unwell and the pain came and went over the course of a few days.

Eventually she went to hospital where the doctors gave her indigestion medication… until her blood test results came back, when they told her she was having a heart attack.

Róisín’s story  - http://beatscad.org.uk/roisins-story/

Róisín was 38, mother of three children aged 5, 3 and 5 months, when she had a SCAD in 2013. Paramedics told her it was a panic attack and didn’t seem concerned, until they did an ECG.

Her angio showed clear arteries and doctors concluded she’d just been unlucky and told her it wouldn’t happen again… but it did.

Jennifer’s story - http://beatscad.org.uk/jennifers-story/

Jennifer’s SCAD happened at work and she tried to carry on working, but eventually later that evening went to hospital.

“I was told this was a very rare condition and that in fact my arteries were in perfect condition.”

Please donate to help further SCAD research.

Thank you for your support.