Stories

Days before being admitted to St Thomas’s Hospital, London, Alison Banayoti was walking her dogs as she does everyday and thinking about her impending surgery. Fourteen years after being diagnosed with aortic and bicuspid heart valve disease, she was finally getting the treatment that she had been waiting to receive.

Over the next few weeks, in support of the South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK Mini Mitral Trial, a multi-centre randomised control trial on Minimally invasive thoracoscopically-guided right minithoracotomy versus conventional sternotomy for mitral valve repair, we will be sharing a number of patients stories from patients who have been involved in the trial. The third story comes from Brian, a former soldier who was happy to be participating in the trial.

Over the next few weeks, in support of the South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK Mini Mitral Trial, a multi-centre randomised control trial on Minimally invasive thoracoscopically-guided right minithoracotomy versus conventional sternotomy for mitral valve repair, we will be sharing a number of patients stories from patients who have been involved in the trial. The second story comes from Mary, who after years of monitoring for her mitral valve disease, was ready for treatment and offered an opportunity to be part of the trial.

Over the next few weeks, in support of the South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK Mini Mitral Trial, a multi-centre randomised control trial on Minimally invasive thoracoscopically-guided right minithoracotomy versus conventional sternotomy for mitral valve repair, we will be sharing a number of patients stories from patients who have been involved in the trial. The first story is from Ady, an NHS psychotherapist and sword fighting enthusiast who was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation.

Sandra Holder’s job in retail meant she was on her feet for much of her day, so it wasn’t a surprise when she started to experience swollen ankles and feet. It wasn’t until she was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and was told that she was at high risk of heart failure within two years if she was not treated, that she realised it was something she should have paid more attention to. Sandra’s story serves as a warning for others of the importance of having your heart checked regularly.

P.J. (Patrick) Brien, didn’t think he had anything wrong with his heart, after all, he had no red flag symptoms like tiredness, dizziness or chest pains. However with a family history of heart problems and some breathlessness that he put down to the dusty conditions at work, P.J.’s wife suspected something was wrong. Her caution was warranted and most likely saved his life as it was later determined that his aortic valve would need replacing.

There is almost nothing that Penny Minney hasn’t done in her 84 years. The former Classics teacher is an avid traveller, author, has sailed the high seas, is an active philanthropist and a lover of swimming, hiking and climbing, not to mention she’s a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. However, she has not accomplished all of this without a few bumps in the road including two mitral valve replacements. But thanks to her treatments, Penny is back to living her full life as she always has - full of energy!

Bill Dean from Mold, North Wales, isn't your typical 77 year old. Bill spends most of his free time in the mountains of Snowdonia as a Mountain Rescue Volunteer, a job he’s been proud to do for the past 50 years. However, a number of years ago Bill worried he wouldn’t be able to continue with his volunteer work when he started to get breathless walking uphill, until an aortic heart valve replacement in 2015 made sure he was back on the mountains feeling better than ever.