Alexander Beresford
Alexander's Brentwood Half Marathon 2015 page
Fundraising for British Heart Foundation
Story
Today in the UK, around 480 people will go to hospital with a heart attack. About seven in ten will survive to return home. In 1961, when the BHF began, that would have been unthinkable. In those days the odds of survival, let alone recovery, from heart attack were poor.
In Febuary 2014 at the age of 26 at the Royal Brompton hospital in Chelsea I had open heart surgery to fix a severely leaking bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and an aneurysm of the aortic root. BHF-funded research has revolutionised the way heart conditions are diagnosed and treated. Through this I was able to have a specialized ‘David Procedure’ to fix the aneurysm of the aortic root and a biological (Pig) valve (with an expected durability of around 10-15 years before re-replacement is needed) to replace the bicuspid aortic valve.
The British Heart Foundation is the UK’s number one heart charity.
Coronary heart disease is the UK’s single biggest killer but they are leading the fight against it. Their pioneering research has helped to transform the lives of people living with heart and circulatory conditions.
Their work has been central to the discoveries of vital treatments that are helping to change the face of the UK’s fight against heart disease.
A vision for a better future
Our vision is a world where people don't die prematurely from heart disease.
Over the past months we have been reviewing our strategic approach with the help of staff, supporters and stakeholders.
Our new strategy will give us powerful focus in our fight for every heartbeat, and enable us to lead the fight against cardiovascular disease more effectively.
We'll continue the fight through our pioneering heart research, vital prevention and survival activity and ensuring quality care and support for everyone living with heart disease.
Your donations fund their researchers' tireless work. Together we will improve the lives of babies born with heart defects, find the genes that cause inherited heart conditions and maybe, one day, find a cure for heart failure and heart disease
Thank you.