Stories

Phill Read, 43, was diagnosed with moderate mitral valve disease in February 2020. A Partnerships Manager for an over 60s property specialist and an avid cyclist, Phill and his wife Sacha have researched different treatment options and discussed them with his clinician to ensure they make the right decision for themselves, their children Cameron, 22, Yasmin, 18, Sadie, 8, and, of course, the family dog, Harry.

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 surgery, Derrick received has now recieved life-saving treatment and is now looking forward to the rest of his life.

In December 2018, 33 year old Support Worker at Autism Together, Jeanine Jones was celebrating the birth of her first daughter, Phoebe. Flash forward four months and she was being raced across Liverpool to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital with her heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and brain starting to fail. There, she received her life saving double valve replacement.

During March of 2017 Lisa was receiving physiotherapy for her Achilles Tendinitis and started experiencing symptoms of joint pains in her elbow and knees. The physiotherapist suggested that she go to her GP for a check up. Blood works were done and an inflammation was noted however nothing was done about it.

It was during a company health check in 2000 that Alan discovered he had a heart murmur. After being told it wasn’t serious it was left alone until 2010 when Alan started to receive an annual ECG (Echocardiogram) to check on the progress of the disease. Due to his leaky valves, this resulted in Alan’s heart becoming enlarged which could only be resolved through surgery. In 2016 Alan underwent open heart surgery and received a mechanical valve for both his mitral and aortic valve.

Victor Hyman was completely unaware of his heart valve disease. Whilst on holiday in Turkey in 1994, he was visited by a local doctor for an upset stomach. While his stomach was fine, he was surprised to find out in fact he had a problem with his heart as the doctor had detected a murmur after listening to his heart with a stethoscope.

It was a chance query to his GP to see a rheumatologist that led to an eventual diagnosis of heart valve disease for 53 year old Mike Addelman of Manchester. An avid cyclist and runner, the diagnosis was certainly a surprise but Mike is grateful for a lucky visit to have his spine checked and the doctor’s keen sense that something wasn’t right.

While heart valve disease is a condition that most often affects an older cohort of patients, it can be found in anyone. Meet Ed Smith; Ed, in his late forties, found himself slowing down, getting breathless and lacking the energy that he once had. He had always kept himself fit and stayed quite active but as he got a bit older he was finding his usual activities were getting harder to do.