Sohel attended a funeral before his regular Monday evening circuit training class. He was working his way through the weights and cardio equipment with his instructor Mike. Sohel had just moved onto the skipping rope exercises when he collapsed with a cardiac arrest, triggered by a heart attack. Sohel was only 47 at the time.

Luckily, Mike performed CPR until the paramedics arrived with a defibrillator. Thanks to the instructor’s quick thinking, Sohel was given the best chance at survival.

Sohel went on to have triple bypass surgery, and he is now looking at his risk factors. He is also making lifestyle changes to help reduce his future risk.

With the continued support of Mike, Sohel has worked hard to make a great recovery. He felt fit enough to take on a 5k running challenge as part of the Lakeland Trails series with his son, Solly, to raise funds for British Heart Foundation (BHF). Sohel has always enjoyed trail running and completing the challenge was a big milestone in his recovery. A recovery made possible by pioneering advances in medical care.

Thanks to our generous donors, BHF is funding lifesaving research that seeks to develop better prevention and treatment strategies for people with heart and circulatory conditions. This research could give people like Sohel the chance to lead healthier, longer lives.

How genetics can help us fight heart and circulatory diseases in different ethnic groups

“Within the South Asian community, I don’t think many people know about heart attacks, and how heart attacks can lead to cardiac arrest. I believe we need more funding for this research.” - Sohel

Professor John Danesh and his team are exploring how heart and blood vessel diseases develop in diverse multi-ethnic groups, especially among people from South Asian backgrounds. This group are at higher risk of heart and circulatory diseases.

Professor Danesh's team will study unique genetic features found in these populations to understand how these traits affect heart health. They will use advanced techniques to analyse genes, proteins, fats, and other small molecules in the blood. They will also consider environmental factors that can potentially influence heart health.

This research not only seeks to improve care for under-represented groups but also aims to enhance our overall understanding of heart disease. The findings could lead to better
prevention and treatment strategies that benefit everyone, regardless of their ethnic background.

Donate today and help keep hearts beating this Heart Month.