Tag: British Heart Foundation

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo celebrates 75th anniversary with new 75p charity drive

The arts spectacular is calling on fans to choose a charity to receive a special 75p donation from every ticket sold for the 2025 performance

In celebration of the upcoming 75th anniversary, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo launches its new initiative to donate 75p of every 2025 Show ticket sold to a new charity.

Tattoo fans are being asked to vote from selected charities to receive this one-off donation which could equate to £162,000 in line with expected ticket sales.

The theme for next year’s Tattoo, The Heroes Who Made Us, will spotlight the individuals who have shaped and supported the iconic performances over the past 75 years. This theme aligns with the Tattoo’s ethos of ‘Performance with a Purpose’ and its commitment to honour people across the country and support the heroes who are making a difference in their communities.

In line with this ethos and in addition to the brand’s annual charitable donations, five charities have been shortlisted to win the share of the 75p per ticket charity donation for one year only.

The shortlisted five charities have been nominated by Tattoo staff who put a case forward for them to be on the list, these are all non-military charities that are close to the hearts of those who put on the iconic spectacle.

They are: the British Heart Foundation, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, Parkinsons UK, Rock Trust and St Columba’s Hospice Care.

The Tattoo’s annual charitable giving continues alongside this new initiative, as it aims to build up to pre-Covid donations of £1M a year which is thanks to those who attend the Show each year. Charities that are continuing to benefit include The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, the Army Benevolent Fund, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, and the Scottish Schools Pipe and Drums Trust. 

Fans of the Tattoo across the UK are invited to cast their vote to determine which charity will receive the 75th anniversary donation.

Have your say and vote for your chosen charity through the link at: edintattoo.co.uk/news/have-your-vote 

Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 5 January 2025. Stay updated by following Tattoo social media channels, where the winning charity will be announced in January 2025.

Jason Barrett, Chief Executive Officer at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “In celebrating 75 years of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, we honour the heroes who have made the Tattoo so great throughout the years. Additionally, we honour the local heroes within our communities in Edinburgh, throughout Scotland, and around the world.

“Charitable giving is at the heart of everything the Tattoo does. Being able to contribute to our longstanding charitable partners as well as selecting a specific charity chosen by the Tattoo fans is a special benefit this year.

“We are committed to continuing our legacy of making a meaningful impact to those who continue to make a difference in our communities every day.

“I encourage everyone to join us in this celebration by casting their vote to support a worthy cause.”

Nominated Charities open for public vote:

Link to vote: edintattoo.co.uk/news/have-your-vote.

Tickets for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s 75th anniversary Show are now on sale and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone, 0131 225 1188. The Show will run from 1-23 August 2025.

British Heart Foundation: Every Second Counts …

Every. Second. Counts … when having a cardiac arrest.

Give a loved one the best chance of survival by learning CPR and how to use a defibrillator with RevivR – our online training tool.

Learn today, and have the confidence to #RestartAHeart tomorrow:

https://bhf.org.uk/RevivR.

Letters: Volunteering with British Heart Foundation

Dear Editor,

Summer is the perfect time to try something new, so why not lend a hand in your local charity shop? The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is offering ‘taster’ sessions for anyone who wants to see what volunteering is all about.

So, whether you’re passionate about preloved, looking to meet new people, or keen to support the charity, we offer flexible volunteering roles for as little as an hour or two, without any long-term commitment.

Our volunteers are changing the way they gift their time to us. Fitting around life commitments like studying, family or work, we’re seeing an increasing number of people opting for ad hoc shifts. And that works for us!

With plenty of roles in store, through our Action Team, or remotely – yes you can volunteer from the comfort of your own sofa – give it a try for an hour or two. We will welcome you with open arms, and of course drinks and snacks too! Please do pop in for a cuppa or get in touch to find out more.

Every hour makes a difference, and no matter how much time you spend with us, you will be helping to fund lifesaving research.

Find a role to suit you by popping into your local shop or visiting 

bhf.org.uk/volunteer.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Boardman

Retail Volunteering Operations Manager at the British Heart Foundation

University of Edinburgh research receives £5 million funding boost from the British Heart Foundation

~ Funding will support world-leading cardiovascular research at the university ~

The British Heart Foundation has awarded the University of Edinburgh £5 million funding to support its world-class cardiovascular disease research over the next five years, the charity has announced today.

Researchers at the University welcomed the announcement. 

Professor David Newby, BHF Duke of Edinburgh Professor of Cardiology at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are delighted to be the recipient of this prestigious award which will enable us to deliver a step-change in our research into heart and circulatory diseases, stroke, vascular dementia and diabetes.

“The award will accelerate our drive to identify new discoveries across disciplines and to establish the next generation of science and scientific researchers with the ultimate aim of improving the lives of our patients.”

The funding will support the University of Edinburgh to cultivate a world-class research environment that encourages collaboration, inclusion and innovation, and where visionary scientists can drive lifesaving breakthroughs.

The Edinburgh award is part of a much needed £35 million boost to UK cardiovascular disease research from the British Heart Foundation.

The funding comes from the charity’s highly competitive Research Excellence Awards funding scheme.

The £5 million award to the University of Edinburgh will support researchers to:

  • Investigate how hardening of the major arteries develops throughout the body to cause heart attacks, strokes and circulatory problems, and how this interacts with the body’s immune and nervous systems.
  • Discover how small blood vessel disease in the brain causes strokes and vascular dementia so that we can develop and test new ways to prevent and to treat these major health problems.
  • Accelerate our understanding of how the body’s metabolism in fat, immune and kidney tissue causes heart and circulatory problems throughout life: from the womb through to old age.
  • Deliver new ways of using routinely collected health data with DataLoch to identify those at risk of heart attacks or strokes, and to embed this into health records systems to prevent diseases before they occur.

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to continue to support research at the University of Edinburgh addressing the biggest challenges in cardiovascular disease. This funding recognises the incredible research happening at Edinburgh and will help to further its reputation as a global leader in the field.

“With generous donations from our supporters, this funding will attract the brightest talent, power cutting-edge science, and unlock lifesaving discoveries that can turn the tide on the devastation caused by heart and circulatory diseases.”

David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “It is great news that the University of Edinburgh has once again been recognised as a centre of research excellence. Scotland has a strong tradition of leading the way in cardiovascular research and today’s announcement will further reinforce this for years to come.”

Research Excellence Awards offer researchers greater flexibility than traditional research funding, allowing scientists to quickly launch ambitious projects that can act as a springboard for larger, transformative funding applications.

The funding also aims to break down the silos that have traditionally existed in research, encouraging collaboration between experts from diverse fields.

From clinicians to data scientists, biologists to engineers, the funding will support universities to attract the brightest minds, nurture new talent and foster collaboration to tackle the biggest questions in heart and circulatory disease research.

First launched in 2008, the University of Edinburgh has previously received nearly £14 million funding through the BHF’s Research Excellence Awards funding scheme to date.

This funding has supported research that will lay the foundations for future breakthroughs, including:

  • A trial that showed that a simple scan could save thousands of lives every year by improving the diagnosis of people coming to hospital with chest pain. The scan is now recommended as a first-line diagnostic tool in NICE guidelines for people presenting at hospital with chest pain.
  • Development of an artificial intelligence tool that can improve diagnosis of acute heart failure. The tool uses AI to combine routinely collected patient information with results from a blood test for the protein NT-proBNP, which is made by the heart. The researchers are now investigating how it could be implemented into routine care.
  • Over the last 5 years, investing in the training and development of 12 doctors to become researchers who are increasing knowledge today and developing new life-saving treatments for tomorrow.

New figures suggest Scots youngsters are leading in lifesaving CPR skills

Dad saved by his children urges others to learn vital skill   with BHF this Heart Month

Scots are leading the way in CPR with 71 per cent having learned the skills to save a life, compared to over half (57 per cent) of respondents across the UK. 

New figures released today by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland, show even more – 82 per cent – in the 16-26 age group (Gen Z) know how to perform CPR. Half (50 per cent) of this age group have learned the vital skill in school. 

Almost all respondents who have learnt CPR in locations other than school (98 per cent)1 believe it is important that CPR be taught in schools. 

The figures have been revealed as the medical research charity calls on the whole nation to learn CPR during Heart Month in February, with the message to help protect the heart of someone you love.

With around 80 per cent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happening in the home, you’re often likely to perform CPR on a loved one.     

https://twitter.com/i/status/1752005729924329572

Despite the success in Scotland, a survey carried out for the BHF by Censuswide, also suggests an alarming number of households in Scotland still don’t have anyone who knows how to perform CPR.

Of those respondents who answered that they hadn’t learnt CPR, just over half (51 per cent) said that no-one in their household had learnt the lifesaving skill.    

The survey also found generational differences in CPR awareness in Scotland:    

·                Gen Z (age 16-26) is best trained in CPR, with 82 per cent having learnt, compared to 75 per cent of Millennials (age 27-42), 67 per cent of the Gen X generation (age 43-58) and 65 per cent of the baby boomer (age 59-77) generation.  

·                95 per cent of Scots believe that learning CPR is important1, yet only 49 per cent of respondents could pick the correct first step of CPR – making sure it’s safe to approach and checking for a response from an unconscious person.   

There are over 3100 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in Scotland. Tragically, just one in ten people survive, a statistic the BHF Scotland is determined to improve by giving everyone the opportunity to learn CPR.     

Performing immediate PR and defibrillation in the event of a cardiac arrest can be the difference between life and death.     

The charity’s free and innovative online training tool RevivR can teach CPR and the correct steps of defibrillator use in just 15 minutes. Quick CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival.    

Learning CPR came second only to budgeting, in a list of important life skills1: 

Q: How important, if at all, do you think it is to learn the below life skills? 

Learning to budget 98% 
Learning CPR 95% 
Learning to disinfect a cut 94% 
Learning to do laundry 92% 
Learning to use a washing machine 91% 
Learning to change a light bulb 88% 
Learning to change a tyre 85% 
Learning DIY 81% 

Michael’s story 

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The Welsh family celebrate Christmas 2023

In the early hours of 2 January last year, Alison Welsh, from Broughty Ferry, Dundee was woken by the sound of husband Michael, 55, making a terrible noise. 

“I thought he was snoring but when I turned round, he was purple and staring at me. I screamed for the children, who ran through, we got him off bed and started CPR immediately,” she recalls. 

Her son Christopher, now 30, took the lead, beginning CPR, assisted by sister Rachel, 23, and his girlfriend Chloe, 27, who was staying at the house. All three had been members of their university canoe clubs, where they’d learned to do CPR. 

“While I was on the phone to the ambulance the three of them just took over,” adds Alison. “They were incredible, taking it in turns when they got tired. Without them, Michael would not be here today. There are genuinely no words to express what my children did to save their dad, and how amazing they are. Every day we wake up thankful that he is here.” 

Michael has not had any problems since the episode but now has a defibrillator fitted to monitor his heart rhythm and to deliver a shock if a dangerous, abnormal heart rhythm is detected. 

He says: “Learning CPR is a simple activity that can mean the difference between life and death. I was one of the lucky ones, thankfully people were around who knew what they were doing.”  

1’Very important’ and ‘Quite important’ answers combined  

   

Donaldson Group announces charity partnership with British Heart Foundation

The UK’s leading independent timber and construction supplier, Donaldson Group, has announced a 12-month partnership with British Heart Foundation following a vote by colleagues across the entire business.

As part of Donaldson Group’s newly created Charity Committee, colleagues voted on a shortlist of six charities for the partnership. More than just fundraising for a worthy cause, the partnership with British Heart Foundation will also benefit colleagues with a programme of internal training, including CPR training, and registering defibrillators with ambulance services across England and Scotland.

Sites across Donaldson Group have a strong history of charitable support and fundraising activities this year will focus on two main events taking place in February for ‘Go Red for Heart Month’ and in September to mark World Heart Day.

British Heart Foundation supports people living with heart and circulatory diseases and funds lifesaving research across the UK. Partnerships with businesses like Donaldson Group fund that research, and importantly, raise awareness about disease prevention.

The funds raised by the Donaldson Group will help the BHF fund cutting-edge research that saves lives and keeps families together.

Mike Donaldson, Executive Chair of Donaldson Group, said: “We set up a Charity Committee last year to help us all focus our charitable giving and support causes that are important to Donaldson Group colleagues, families, and communities.

We are thrilled that British Heart Foundation was selected by colleagues as this year’s partner. Heart and circulatory diseases have touched many of us within the Group, and we hope that the training, awareness raising, and fundraising we will accomplish together will support many more happy outcomes for people and families across the country.”

Mark Murphy, 55, Chief Risk Officer at Donaldson Group, suffered a heart attack in May 2023 and now has a coronary stent fitted and takes statins to reduce the risks of further heart attacks.

Mark has made sure all Donaldson Group sites have defibrillators and he’ll also be taking part in CPR training sessions.

“If anything happens, we have more of a chance to save people,” says Mark. “Saving the life of someone is not just helping them, but also the rest of their family and I am delighted Donaldson Group will be supporting the British Heart Foundation in the months ahead.”

David McColgan, Head of British Heart Foundation Scotland, said: “Exciting partnerships like this one with Donaldson Group are vital to our research and our goals to save and improve lives.

“We are so proud that in the six decades we have been working to tackle heart and circulatory diseases, we have moved from an outcome where seven in 10 people died from a heart attack, to now seven in 10 people survive. We look forward to working with colleagues across the Donaldson Group to raise lifesaving funds.”

Currently led by the sixth generation of Donaldson, the 163-year-old Donaldson Group comprises a total of 16 specialist timber and building product businesses and brands, operating throughout the UK from 47 locations employing over 1600 people.

The businesses that make up the Group trade and operate independently, sharing best practice, innovation, purchasing synergies, and market analysis.

Rangers Women’s Players learn CPR with the British Heart Foundation

It took just 15 minutes for Victoria Esson, Libby Bance, and Sarah Ewens to learn CPR using the British Heart Foundation’s free online RevivR training tool.

Rangers Charity Foundation has partnered with British Heart Foundation and pledged to raise £25,000 and to encourage as many people as possible to learn CPR.

For Victoria Esson, 32, the New Zealand-born goalkeeper who joined Rangers in 2022, it is a particularly personal cause as she was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, a condition which causes the heart to beat abnormally fast.

“It can beat up to 200-300 BMP and in the worst-case scenario, it can lead to a heart attack,” she explains.

“I could feel it happening, but I didn’t know any different as I’d always had them as a kid. When you say to someone my heart is beating fast, it doesn’t always flag up an issue. I remember trying to explain that I’ve got a stitch in my heart, but I didn’t really know how to explain it as a child.

“It was picked up at some pre-World Cup screening back in 2010, so I was lucky. It made sense and became clear when they identified it, and I finally knew. 

“It was told it was inherited but no-one else in the family had it. I had surgery within a couple of days and again six months later, and I’m all clear now.”

Victoria believes that learning CPR is a vital lifesaving tool that everyone should know: “You may need it when you are least expecting it.

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Above: Victoria Esson

“It’s not something that you can plan for, whether it’s a loved one or a family or a friend or just a person that is sitting beside you in the stand here at Ibrox – it could save someone’s life.”

Libby Bance, 20, who joined the team in September 2023 on loan from Brighton, agreed: “My grandad had a heart attack a few years ago. You hope you never have to use CPR but I’m glad I know how to do it should I ever have to. I like to think I could help someone now. Knowing how to do it is important.

“It only took 15 minutes and that can give someone their whole entire life back, so it’s definitely worth it.”

Striker Sarah Ewens, 31, also welcomed the chance to learn the vital skills: “Before today I would not have had the confidence, but the training means I’d now definitely step in and help someone if they needed it.”

Over 700,000 people in Scotland have heart and circulatory diseases, which also cause the deaths of nearly 50 people in Scotland every day.

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L-R Sarah Ewens, Libby Bance, Victoria Esson

Less than 1 in 10 people will survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest and performing the emergency lifesaving procedure can more than double their chance of survival.

RevivR allows people to learn CPR in just 15 minutes and aims to give people the skills and confidence to save a life. It teaches people how to recognise a cardiac arrest, gives feedback on chest compressions and outlines the correct steps in using a defibrillator. All people need is a mobile phone and a firm cushion. 

David McColgan, head of BHF Scotland, said: “Heart and circulatory diseases are some of Scotland’s biggest killers and we hope this partnership will help us raise awareness in Scotland’s footballing community about the importance of looking after your heart health, while also enabling more people to learn lifesaving CPR skills.”

It couldn’t be simpler – you just need your mobile phone or tablet and a cushion to practise on.

You can access RevivR here – revivr.bhf.org.uk/

Donate unwanted Christmas gifts to the BHF this January

DO GOOD, FEEL GOOD!

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is calling for the nation to kick start their 2024 by having a declutter and donating any unwanted Christmas gifts.

Decluttering can make the home feel much calmer post-Christmas, so whether it’s a jumper that doesn’t fit, a game you won’t play, or a book you already have, the BHF will welcome any generous donations which can be resold to fund lifesaving research.

Rather than let your unwanted items gather dust, simply pop them in the post by downloading a freepost label or take them down to your local BHF shop. The BHF gladly receives any quality items including clothing, jewellery, books, and games, and saves over 56,000 tonnes of goods from going to landfill every year.

Dr Helen Nuttall is a BHF retail ambassador, doctor of neuroscience and charity shop influencer. She says: “This new year, I’ll be decluttering and donating any unwanted items to the BHF. Donating to charity and having a clear out can increase dopamine in your brain and help you escape the January blues.

“With prices continuing to rise, it’s important to keep our charity shop shelves stocked for those who might need them. So, if there are any Christmas gifts lying around that you won’t use, consider donating them to your local BHF!”

Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director at the British Heart Foundation says, “At the BHF, we depend on the generous donations from the public to continue to fund our lifesaving research.

“If you find yourself with one or two unused gifts lying around, why not make use of them and start the new year off by givingback?

“If you have any items that you want to donate, simply drop them off at any of our 680 BHF shops or post them for free. Every item sold will help keep families together for Christmases to come!”

Decluttering tips from the BHF:

  1. Ask for help.  Get your family and friends involved and ask them to help find items they might not use after Christmas. Children and teenagers can search their rooms for quality gadgets, games, and toys to give to charity.
  2. Start small. Declutter in small chunks. Set small goals, like clearing a certain drawer or wardrobe. Any quality items you won’t use can be donated, including phones and tablets. There are simple steps on our website on how to get devices ready to donate, and all data will be erased by the BHF using software before being resold.
  3. Set a routine. Rather than tackling it all at once, set decluttering as a daily activity. Once you have finished one large declutter, you can spend 30 minutes each day topping it up and keeping your spaces clear.

To donate unwanted Christmas gifts to the BHF, visit bhf.org.uk/shop/donating-goods

Rangers footballer Connor Goldson talks about his heart operation

Rangers footballer Connor Goldson marks the partnership between Rangers Charity Foundation and the British Heart Foundation by talking about his own heart condition, and he urges the public to support the medical research charity this Christmas by learning learn vital CPR skills. 

Footballer Connor Goldson has a tattoo across his chest with the words ‘Chase your Dreams’, which is dissected by a large scar running through the middle, marking a defining moment in his life.  

Aged 24 he was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm – a swelling of the large artery which passes through the abdomen which was at risk of bursting with potentially catastrophic consequences – and had to undergo surgery to repair it.  

“I don’t see it anymore, it’s just part of me, part of my body,” he says. “It looks nice. I like it because it shows what I’ve been through. The only thing, obviously, with a scar, is when you are in the showers here people ask questions. I don’t mind talking about it now.”  

But it has taken the six years since the operation for the Rangers star to feel more comfortable talking about the life-threatening condition which could have ended far more than just his sporting career.  

When Rangers announced the British Heart Foundation as its new charity partner for the 2023/24 season, Connor felt the time was right to talk about his heart condition.  

“Truthfully, I’ve never really spoken about it openly because it was a difficult time, but I also felt fortunate that I was able to continue playing, so I’ve never really wanted sympathy,” he says.  

“Obviously going back to it, it was tough.  My wife, Kayleigh, who was my girlfriend back then, always tells me that I need to speak about it, but I find it difficult.”  

After-training showers have prompted many chats: “When new players see the scar on my chest there’s always a big reaction straight away.  I was so fortunate; I was out for like 3 to 4 months and have never had a problem since,” he says.  

“I see people in football who have knee operations or ankle operations, or broken legs, that are out for a lot longer., Of course, when you do your knee it’s not life threatening, the risk of mine, well I was obviously going to die …”  

Specialists consider surgery when the aorta route is 50mm diameter and at Connor’s first scan his was 49mm and 50mm at the second.  

“Basically, if I wanted play football, I had to have it done, there was no ifs or buts,” he says.  

“I could have stopped playing right then, and it was my decision, but if I wanted to continue playing, I had to get it done. The surgeon said they had to fit a stent because it could have popped at any point.”  

There were risks associated with the surgery, but these were outweighed by the risks of not having the surgery – although Connor says his only thought back then was getting back to the game.  

“Nothing else mattered and all I really cared about was whether I could play football again,” he admits.  

Young and fit, Connor bounced back from the operation on 30 March, and was back in preseason just four months later, in July.  

“But a lot has changed since then. I got married and now I have two children, and they are the highlights for me. Looking back, football was my priority and I still love the game and I love what I do and want to continue doing it for many years, but now that I have a family and children, they are the most important things.”  

Connor, now 30, has the heart rates of both his children – Caleb, five, and Connor, who will be two in February – tattooed onto each wrist, taken from the baby scans before they were born.  

“It reflects what I’ve been through, and they mean everything to me. Instead of having their names, their heart rate seems a lot more appropriate,” he says.  

Every time he walks onto the pitch, he kisses both wrists and his wedding finger, which is also inked with the significant date from 2021.  

Connor’s condition was picked up in a random checkup scan and he believes, were he not an elite sportsperson, it would probably have remained undiagnosed.  

“To be fair I always half knew that I had something,” he admits. “My dad had a heart attack when he was younger while playing football with his friends, luckily, he’s still alive, then another when he was older.    

“Deep down I always knew there was something there. I remember I fainted a few times, if I got up too quickly or hadn’t eaten enough. That used to happen quite often but, on the pitch, I never felt anything.”  

Despite the trauma of the diagnosis, which reduced him to tears, and the operation soon afterwards, Connor says he feels no aftereffects. His annual check-up has been fine ever since, and he says he has been able to channel his heart scare in a positive way.  

He gets out his mobile phone and shows everyone the graphic picture of his heart in his wide-open chest during surgery. It’s an incredible image and an arresting reminder of exactly how the advances in medical research mean Connor is here to tell his story.  

He adds: “I feel very fortunate that I still get to do my day job, very fortunate that since the operation I’ve managed to have a family and I’ve got two healthy children, so I don’t feel that it has ever harmed me in a way that means trauma is still there.  

“I see it as quite a positive thing now that I’ve been fortunate to have gone though. It has made me appreciate everything that I have even more and has put life into perspective because I know it can end at any time.”  

Connor is thrilled that Rangers Charity Foundation have pledged to raise £25,000 for the British Heart Foundation over the course of the season and aims to encourage people as many fans as possible to learn lifesaving CPR via the charity’s free online training tool, RevivR.  

“The BHF do an amazing job and I’m happy to help in any way,” adds Connor.  

“We live in a world where nobody really does anything until it happens to you. It’s only when it happens to yourself or someone you know, then you realise the importance of CPR.  

“I can do CPR, maybe not perfectly but I know what to do.”  

When asked about his plans for Christmas, Connor smiles: “Football, football, football.”  

Training doesn’t pause on Christmas Day, but with two young children at home Connor says he’ll be up extra early to watch his boys open their presents and will be looking forward to getting back to them for a family day.  

“As I get older, I’m more able to reflect on situations and now feel like I can work as hard as I can and whatever happens in the game happens. I’ll watch the game back once and after that I go home and see the kids and be a dad – and that’s the most important thing to me.”  

To donate to the British Heart Foundation this festive season and give the gift that keeps on living, visit bhf.org.uk/Christmas   

Mum puts her voice at the heart of work to raise standards of care

The mother of a baby, born with a hole in his heart, has shared her experiences as part of an initiative to raise standards of care for congenital heart disease across Scotland.

Helen Zollinger has welcomed the country’s first ever standards for congenital heart disease (CHD), produced by Healthcare Improvement Scotland. The standards aim to ensure that consistently high levels of care and services are offered to all patients diagnosed with CHD and their carers.

Helen’s son Woody was diagnosed with a hole in his heart at her 20 week scan while she was pregnant.

Helen said: “It was a complete and utter shock. All of a sudden my husband Stewart and I had to come to terms with the fact that when our baby was born he was going to need major heart surgery.

“As parents, finding out your child has a heart problem is traumatic enough without then feeling you have nowhere to go to for support. I just found that baffling.”

Helen and Stewart, who live in Musselburgh, East Lothian, have spent a lot of time at the cardiac ward of the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, the specialist unit for the type of heart defect Woody suffers from, since he was born five years ago.

It was during that period she felt there was a difference in the availability of services and support in Glasgow and other parts of the country.

She said: “I had a meeting with some key members of the cardiac team in Glasgow and they explained that the structure for cardiology care was different across the country.

“I found this really problematic as I felt the support we were able to access in Glasgow fell away when we were discharged and returned home and this seemed wrong to me.” 

At that point Helen was invited on to a group set up by Healthcare Improvement Scotland to develop national standards for adult and paediatric CHD care in Scotland.

Helen has been able to share her experiences along with other patients, carers and healthcare professionals which have been used as the basis of what the standard for services should be in future.

She has also highlighted more accessible mental health support throughout the country as being a need, following her own experiences after the birth of Woody.

Among the recommendations in the standards, are also to improve detection rates of CHD in unborn babies.

CHD is the most common congenital abnormality, affecting approximately 1% of babies. A quarter of babies with congenital heart disease require medical intervention in the first year of life. Around 20,000 people with CHD currently live in Scotland.

Helen, who has since given birth to a daughter Bobbie (3), said: “The standards have shone a light on how beneficial it will be to have consistent levels of care across the country and the same level of support available to all patients and families.

“There’s a huge community of parents of children with CHDs in Scotland and I was able to connect a lot of them to Healthcare Improvement Scotland during the consultation period to add their own thoughts and experiences.

“I’m proud to have been able to add the voices of people from outside of the healthcare system and I’m hopeful that the new standards will make a big difference in helping families access a consistent level of care and support across the country.”

Fiona Wardell, Head of Standards at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “I’m delighted to see the publication of the CHD standards – they set out clearly what people can expect to experience.

“Crucially, you can hear the voices of people and their families throughout the standards. They reflect what matters to patients and carers and their passion, commitment and enthusiasm in the development group has been a key part of this process.”

The standards have also been welcomed by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “The parents and families of babies born with congenital heart disease are already facing terrific stress, so it is wrong that levels of care and support differ across Scotland.

“Everyone who has a congenital heart condition deserves the best start in life, irrespective of their postcode.

“We are delighted that Healthcare Improvement Scotland has shone a light on the inequalities and developed national standards to reinforce best practice across our health services.”