British Heart Foundation
Gemma Atkinson presents an appeal on behalf of the British Heart Foundation, a charity which fights to end heart disease and is also the largest independent funder of cardiovascular research in the UK.
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British Heart Foundation
Heart and circulatory diseases affect people of all ages. They kill 1 in 4 people in theÌýUK,Ìýand cause heartbreak in homes on every street. At the British Heart Foundation, our researchers are working to find cures and treatments, to protect the people we love.
The BHF is built on breakthroughs, from heart transplants toÌýclot bustingÌýdrugs and pacemakers. These breakthroughs were born from visionary medicalÌýresearch,Ìýand funded with your generous donations.
We research all heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them. Heart diseases, stroke, vascular dementia, diabetes and many more. All connected, all under our microscope.
We’ve come a long way. But with seven million people in the UK living with the burden of heart and circulatory diseases, we still have a lot further to go. For the majority of people who suffer a stroke, there is currently no proven treatment to limit its disabling effects. Michelle in our film was left with weakness down one side of her body, and stroke robs others of their voice. And for people diagnosed with vascular dementia, there is no treatment to reverse the damage to the brain. Terry, who appears in our film, even forgot his son’s name.
Please donate to our appeal, and together we will keep loved ones together and beat the heartbreak caused by the world’s biggest killers.Ìý
Gemma Atkinson
I’m reallyÌýhonouredÌýto present the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Lifeline Appeal for the British Heart Foundation. The British Heart Foundation is a charity really close to my heart as I lost my dad to a heart attack when I was seventeen years old.
In early 2002, my dad, David, started to get chest pains but he put this down to overdoing it. A few weeks later he suffered a heart attack and three days later he died. He was only 52. This came as a complete shock to me and my family. My dad didn’t smoke and only occasionally drank, he was physically fit and ate well but he still died of a heart attack.
My dad was my friend, my protector and my hero. I couldn’t quite believe he was gone. I’ve been supporting the British Heart Foundation ever since to stop families like mine suffering the heartbreak of losing a loved one. The charity is funding amazingÌýlife-savingÌýresearch into heart and circulatory diseases to help beat heartbreak forever.
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Max
Max was a healthy, sporty little boy who loved playing football with his older brother Harry. But in autumn 2016 he developed a persistent cough. It turned out to be a life-threatening heart condition that was attacking the muscle in his heart, making it weak and unable to pump effectively. Max started to go downhill fast and at the tender age of eight, doctors gave his family the devastating news that a heart transplant was his only chance of life.
By January 2017, having just turned nine, Max was placed on the urgent transplant list for a heart transplant. A mechanical heart fitted the following month kept him alive until a donor could be found.
In August his family got the news that a donor heart had become available. The agonising wait was over. After ten days in intensive care, Max started on a slow journey of recovery, spending another five weeks at The Freeman Hospital. He went home in mid-September 2017,Ìý in time to celebrate a family Christmas with his new heart.
Terry
Terry’s stroke happened in his sleep. When he woke he had a headache, and couldn’t feel his left arm. He recovered fairly quickly but his speech took a while to come back.
He noticed he was struggling to remember names, and couldn’t recognise the list of contacts in his mobile phone. But then things took a turn for theÌýworse when during an entire 25-minute conversation with his son, he couldn’tÌýremember hisÌýnameÌý-ÌýJake.ÌýTerry went to his doctor in search of answers and was diagnosed with vascular dementia,Ìýwhich he had developed as a result of a stroke.Ìý
A former DJ and manager of small bands, Terry later became a townÌýcouncillor. But his dementia diagnosis meant he had to give up that role. He now pours his energy into raisingÌýawareness of vascular dementia,Ìýa condition that currently has no cure.
Michelle
Michelle was in her mid-twenties when she discovered she had been living with an undiagnosed heart condition. Since then Michelle, mum of three, has had open heart surgery twice and a pacemaker fitted. She was also diagnosed with an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, putting her at greater risk of stroke.
A few years later, during birthday celebrations for her daughter, Chelle, Michelle suffered a mini-stroke at home. Her eldest son Deniro found her collapsed in the bedroom and dialled 999. While they waited for the ambulance Chelle collected up Michelle’s medication, putting it in a bag to be taken to hospital.
Michelle’s recovery was slow and she needed rehab to help with her speech and to strengthen the left side of her body. Despite her ongoing health problems, Michelle is determined to get on with life. She is about to fulfill a 15-year ambition by opening her own online styling consultancy.
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Gemma Atkinson |
Director | Charlotte Denton |
Executive Producer | Sandy Smith |
Producer | Hardeep Giani |
Broadcasts
- Sun 10 Jun 2018 13:15
- Wed 13 Jun 2018 13:15