Heart Valve Voice News

Martyn O'Connor first had valve disease surgery to replace his aortic valve 11 years ago. After his valve began to deteriorate, urgent intervention was required, and thanks to the excellent team at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, he was able to receive his life-saving treatment, and was discharged in a matter of days.

Covid has placed a huge strain on our NHS and led to delays of thousands of heart valve disease treatments. With an estimated 44,000 cardiac procedures lost already, and an increasing backlog, a group of untreated heart valve disease patients have come together with a simple message - Just Treat Us. Delaying treatment leads to worse outcomes, but with timely treatment patients can get back to a good, even better, quality of life.

As a part of the SCTS Virtual Annual Meeting 2021, we have partnered with Calon Heart Screening Wales to host a virtual 5 km run on the 8th of May 2021. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases.

As part of International Women's Day 2021, we wanted to look at the unique challenges heart valve disease treatment presents women and how treated patients have dealt with those challenges. 

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 the health service, Maisie received her life-saving treatment.

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, and two sons, Charlie and Alfie, Jonathan received his life saving valve disease treatment and is now on the road to recovery.

We need to talk about heart valve disease. In 2021 Heart Valve Voice has pledged to start 100,000 conversations about the signs and symptoms of heart valve disease, because the more we talk about the condition, the more lives we save.

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.

After experiencing a heart emergency late night one, Joyce called an ambulance and was rushed to hospital where she was diagnosed with heart failure and severe mitral valve regurgitation. Joyce was rushed to Harefield Hospital, where Dr Rob Smith used an innovative treatment which clips the mitral valve, saving her life and getting her back to her beloved husband Jim. This is Joyce's story.

Heart Valve Voice are delighted to announce the formation of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Heart Valve Disease, which Heart Valve Voice will be acting as secretariat for.