The Need

Wide experience shows that many patients who have suffered heart attacks or been treated for heart conditions suffer from anxiety, loss of self-esteem which at best can lead onto life restricting conditions or even serious mental health problems. These problems not only effect the quality of life but can also impede good recovery and increase the likelihood of secondary problems and recurrence. Good backup support and the availability of good advice is essential for good recovery and a return to a fulfilled life. This backup has always been provided by very busy clinical teams as and when they can. The new charity will employ dedicated support time though specialist clinicians to meet the need.

People who have been impacted by heart health issues either personally or through a loved one, often donate to support this cause. Our initial aim is to collect a small proportion of this generosity to directly support the people of Essex, helping to care for them and to conduct research they will benefit from.

Already important leading-edge research is undertaken throughout the county usually funded through Research Grants and support from commercial organisations and drug companies but this usually means following other organisations agendas and interests.

Our world leading Clinicians have identified many issues which they would like to research but can’t find the funding for their projects. Essex Heart Fund aims to support some of these ideas.

Having a heart attack, or even being diagnosed with a heart condition is one of the most traumatic experiences that many of us will have. Heart conditions often come on suddenly with little or no warn and being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment is very stressful for both patients and their families. Successful treatment is a great relief but returning home and returning to normal life is also difficult.

We are developing a programme to contact patients in the weeks following their discharge home to reassure and answer those unasked questions which inevitably arise. The contact will be by existing Cardiac Centre Staff who will be paid a little extra for a few hours of “off duty” time.

We are also developing community support groups to provide an on-going link with the Cardiac Centre and encourage contact and mutual support among patients and families.

My name is Paul Swindell and I am a survivor of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), having collapsed at my home in 2014, I was taken to the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre where I received world class cardiac arrest care. Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. If this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. SCA usually causes death if it is not treated within minutes. In England, of the 30,000 cases that the ambulance services attend each year, only ~8% survive In 2015 I set up Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK a peer to peer support group for survivors and their lifesavers across the UK. To read more click here.