Patient Stories
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Joanne Woodhead’s Aortic Stenosis Story
In 2021, Joanne Woodhead began experiencing lightheadedness during exercise. After consulting her GP, she was referred for an echo and found to have severe aortic stenosis, bringing Joanne face-to-face with her fear of hospitals. With the support of her family, friends, heart team, and a clinical psychologist, Joanne was able to conquer her fear and undergo life-saving treatment. This is [...]
Morgan’s Aortic Stenosis Story
In January this year, while at an appointment with her GP, 63-year-old Morgan, mentioned she had started becoming breathless and had a sharp pain in her chest while walking up an incline. Recognising these were symptoms of a potential heart condition, her GP listened to her heart and heard a murmur. Just weeks later, Morgan was diagnosed with severe aortic [...]
Joe Munro’s Heart Valve Disease Story
At the beginning of 2021, Fireman, Joe Munro, had just set himself a challenge to run 5 kilometres every day. Then, after feeling unwell at work one day, his GP listened to his heart and heard a murmur. A subsequent echo found he had severe aortic stenosis, and required urgent intervention. Now, just a year later, he is back at [...]
Julia’s Aortic Stenosis Story
In February 2019, Julia was recovering from a viral infection and feeling run down and tired. After her GP listened to her heart with a stethoscope, they discovered she had a significant murmur and a subsequent echo found she had severe aortic stenosis with a bicuspid valve. This is her valve disease story. "My heart valve disease story started in [...]
Phillip Warlow’s Aortic Stenosis Story
After beginning to feel breathless in 2018, Phillip Warlow was diagnosed with aortic stenosis in April 2019. With his condition deteriorating, Phillip required early intervention and received a tissue valve at Morriston Hospital, Swansea. Since being treated, Phillip is back enjoying life with his grandson, welcomed a new granddaughter into the world and now supports Heart Valve Voice to raise [...]
Christian Nielsen’s Aortic Valve Story
In May 2021 Christian Nielsen's murmur was detected at a routine medical check up for a visa application. After just welcoming their second child into the world, Christian's life was turned on it's head, and after receiving further tests it was found that he required urgent surgical intervention. With the support of his family, his medical team, and Heart Valve [...]
Sandra McGonigle’s Aortic Stenosis Story
In April 2020, nurse Sandra McGonigle was diagnosed with aortic stenosis with a bicuspid valve. After her health deteriorated, she was rushed through for surgery in February 2021, where she had open-heart surgery to replace her valve. This is her valve disease story: "I found out I had heart valve disease last April. I had some chest pain in December [...]
Maisie Weir’s Heart Valve Disease Story
During the first national lockdown in 2020, Maisie Weir noticed herself getting breathless while walking in the Yorkshire hills with her friend. After being urged to see her doctor by her friend and her husband, Iain, Maisie was diagnosed with severe aortic valve stenosis and told she required urgent intervention. In January 2021, and despite the pressures COVID placed on [...]
Jonathan Toms: My COVID-19 Valve Disease Story
In 2020, during the first national lockdown, Jonathan Toms, 44, began to feel out of breath while out walking with his friend. Just a few months later, Jonathan was struggling to tie his shoe laces and, after a trip to A&E, was diagnosed with aortic stenosis. Thanks to the Mr Bahrami, the team at Royal Brompton and his wife, Julie, [...]
Derrick Johns’ Aortic Stenosis Story
In 2019, 57-year-old Derrick Johns found out he had a heart murmur. After further tests, he was diagnosed with aortic stenosis with a bicuspid aortic valve. A keen cyclist, Derrick had experienced no symptoms. However, his valve disease began to deteriorate, and he required urgent intervention. Despite the pressure COVID-19 has placed on the health service and delays to his [...]
