Do you know that heart and circulatory disease is the UK’s biggest killer?
In 2009 one in three of all deaths was from cardiovascular disease. One in five male deaths and one in eight female deaths were from heart disease.
Stroke is also a major cause of death – again related to cardiovascular disease.
In 2008, every day nearly 35 people under the age of 65 died from heart disease. That means many of these people did not live long enough to enjoy their retirement or see their grandchildren grow up.
As people live longer with heart disease - a consequence of improved treatment and diagnosis - and as the population grows older and older, more resources will be needed to support these patients with heart disease and stroke.
This is why the QEH decided to run the Healthy Hearts Campaign.
Local families, businesses and the community are being asked to put their heart and soul into a £200,000 fundraising drive. Vital heart analysis equipment is needed by the cardio-respiratory department to help save the lives of up to 5,000 local people a year.
The purchase of a new diagnostic treadmill and ECG analysis equipment will provide life saving benefits for thousands of our patients. The money will be used to assess heart attack and stroke patients, provide early detection of potentially life-threatening heart disease and by doing so, save thousands of local families from the premature death of a loved one.
Dr Geoff Hunnam, Medical Director, said: “This equipment will help specialist staff to assess the degree of heart disease both before and after a heart attack. It will also test for problems in patients who have had a stroke or a mini-stroke.”
“Our Healthy Hearts Campaign will also be drawing attention to other issues such as having access to exercise, controlling weight, stopping smoking and, for diabetic patients, ensuring that you manage your condition successfully, to keep healthy. In short we want local people to live longer, healthier lives.”
You can donate:
To get involved or for more information please contact: Laurence Morlaàs, Fundraising Executive, tel: 01553 613373 or e-mail: laurence.morlaas@qehkl.nhs.uk
