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Patient Portraits: A New You Photography Competition

Tuesday 24th July 2018

Introducing two more of our Patient Portraits: A New You patient ambassadors. Find out more about the competition here: https://heartvalvevoice.com/photo-competition

Meet Raymond Stickles and Brenda Walker

Raymond, from the North East, had a his valve treatment 9 years ago and at 90 he’s still bowling twice a week and caring for his wife. When diagnosed with valve disease he was struggling to keep up with a busy retirement and looking after Sheila who is deaf, every day activities were becoming more and more difficult. An early diagnosis at the GP saw his treatment escalate quickly and he was put forward to have a TAVI at James Cook Hospital. Although nervous at the time he looks back and is happy that he and the GP recognised the red flag symptoms. 9 years on, he throughly enjoys gardening and is honoured to be caring for his wife of which he’s been married to for over 43 years.

84 year old Brenda, who lives with her partner of 12 years in Somerset, has always led a very active and creative life and has always encouraged others to embrace their creativity through her teaching. In 2010 she found herself becoming breathless on exertion, growing increasingly tired and she noticed some swelling in her ankle. Her symptoms were dismissed as signs of age, so when she noticed an opportunity to visit a cardiologist, she jumped on it. She was diagnosed with aortic stenosis and was told she would only have a few years if she didn’t get it treated. Having only just starting her doctorate at Loughborough University she didn’t want to waste any time getting treated. She received a TAVI and was back home to her partner in two and a half days.