September 24 2012

How Esther Rantzen is helping us to mend broken hearts

Leading TV presenter Esther Rantzen recently visited some of our top heart scientists to learn about the science behind our Mending Broken Hearts Appeal.

Esther, who lost her husband to heart disease, visited our new laboratory at Imperial College London. Scientists at the lab believe that with further study, they can harness the power of stem cells to help repair hearts damaged after a heart attack.

On her visit Esther met BHF Professor Michael Schneider, a world-leading stem cell scientist, for a tour of our state-of-the-art facilities. The new laboratories in London were built partly thanks to our £6m award – made possible by the support of our donors.

Over 750,000 people in the UK are living with heart failure. The condition is most commonly caused by the damage inflicted by a heart attack. Heart failure means your heart cannot pump properly, and not enough blood and oxygen gets delivered around the body to where it’s needed.

You can see Esther’s take on her inspiring visit in our video.

Hope really does live in BHF-funded labs like this

“My husband died after a series of heart problems and I know the terrible impact heart disease can have on a family. But after learning about this incredible science and seeing how dedicated these scientists are to finding new treatments and cures, I’m excited about the future.

“Hope really does live in BHF-funded labs like this where leading researchers are working tirelessly to find ways to heal hearts damaged by a heart attack. I only wish my husband were alive to see this – he would have found it fascinating.”

Without your donations, we can’t make our goal of finding a cure for heart failure into a reality. Please donate to our Mending Broken Hearts Appeal to help bring hope to millions worldwide.