Every three minutes, someone dies from an illness related to the heart like my uncle, Vince, did
In the UK right now, 7.6 million people are living with heart and circulatory diseases.
Every five minutes someone is admitted to hospital due to a stroke, and 13 babies a day are diagnosed with a heart defect.
And every three minutes, someone dies from an illness related to the heart. That’s 460 people a day.
What that means is every single person in the country is likely to know someone who has been affected by heart problems in some way – whether they’re living with a condition or have sadly lost a loved one as a result.
I unfortunately became aware of the importance of heart health at a very young age when my uncle, Vince, suffered a massive heart attack on September 21, 2003, then died. He was 43.
Earlier that day he had felt unwell and been to hospital, where doctors ran some tests. They couldn’t find anything wrong so sent him home and told him to visit his GP the next morning, as it was a Sunday.
But just hours later paramedics in Kent had to rush to his aid – and tried and failed to save his life.
In the many years since that awful day at the age of nine, I’ve been extremely conscious of both my own heart health and that of others.
Vince, suffered a massive heart attack on September 21, 2003, then died
He was just 43 when he died after a heart attack
I’ve tried to remain as healthy as possible by eating well, exercising and never smoking. At the age of 17 I took an emergency first aid course and have tried to keep it up to date since.
Charity the British Heart Foundation (BHF) works with the public to raise awareness of heart diseases, and spot the symptoms of life-threatening conditions.
It helps teach people how to carry out effective CPR if it is needed, including through this free digital training tool which takes just 15 minutes.
Crucially, the BHF also funds around £100 million of research each year into all heart and circulatory diseases and the things that cause them, like vascular dementia and diabetes.
And maybe Vince’s life could have been saved had his symptoms been recognised earlier, or if he’d benefitted from developments in life-saving research.
Vince pictured with his mum, Shirley
The British Heart Foundation works to ultimately save the lives of people who have heart attacks and other related illnesses
Symptoms of a heart attack
According to the NHS website, symptoms of a heart attack can include:
Chest pain:Â a sensation of pressure, tightness or squeezing in the centre of your chest
Pain in other parts of the body:Â it can feel as if the pain is travelling from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm, but it can be both), jaw, neck, back and abdomen
Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
Sweating
Shortness of breath
Feeling or being sick
An overwhelming sense of anxiety, similar to a panic attack
Coughing or wheezing
Some people may only feel minor pain, similar to indigestion. Women and older patients occasionally experience no pain at all.
If you think you’re having a heart attack, you should always call 999 straight away.
The charity envisions a world free from fear of these illnesses, and a world without heartbreak.
That’s why Metro.co.uk is partnering with the BHF in 2022 for its annual Heart Hero Awards at the end of the year, which celebrates lifesavers, healthcare champions and inspirational fundraisers.
The awards also raise awareness of the funding required to research heart and circulatory diseases.
Metro.co.uk is covering the stories of those shortlisted in this year’s awards, from the children fighting heart conditions to people saving the lives of strangers.
We’ll be following more of their inspirational stories in the lead-up to the awards ceremony and announcement of the winners on December 1.
Our reporters will also speak to healthcare heroes and medical champions who are key in saving lives by advancing research and caring for heart patients.
And we will hear from several people who have saved lives by carrying out CPR, sometimes on people they don’t even know.
Our stories will celebrate the people who have gone the extra mile while remembering those who have lost their lives – and supporting a charity which aims to get those numbers so low that heartbreak is no more.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
The British Heart Foundation Heart Hero Awards 2022
A BHF Heart Hero, with Metro.co.uk as its media partner this year, can be anyone from a healthcare professional doing exceptional work, to a young person living with heart disease that has shown incredible courage and determination, to an inspiring fundraiser who has found creative ways to help fund research.
Those shortlisted will be invited to an awards ceremony hosted by Vernon Kay in London on December 1, when the winners will be announced.
Judging of the categories is now complete with Scottish footballer Scott Allan and TV and radio presenter Will Njobvu among this year’s celebrity judges.
But the Young Heart Hero and CPR Hero categories remain open to nominations throughout the year.
The awards ceremony raises awareness of the continued need for funding for the pioneering research that is turning science fiction into reality, and providing hope for more than seven million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory conditions.
To find out more about the categories or to make a nomination, visit the British Heart Foundation website.
The British Heart Foundation raises awareness of heart diseases, helps people spot symptoms and raises money to fund important research.Â
