RACES
A broken heart
Over the next few years the BHF are looking to spend £50 million to give hope to the thousands of people affected by heart failure after a heart attack as part of their Mending Broken Hearts Appeal. At the moment, there’s no cure for a broken heart. Once your heart muscle is damaged by a heart attack, it can never fully recover. But there is hope. The answer is in a tiny fish called the zebrafish, which is already providing vital clues about how the BHF might mend human hearts. Zebrafish can repair their own heart, and BHF scientists are trying to unlock their secrets to learn how we can repair ours too.
Why do hearts need mending? When you have a heart attack a part of the heart muscle dies. This irreversible damage can lead to heart failure, as the heart is not pumping as efficiently as it should. Each day people with heart failure have to cope with symptoms such as tiredness, breathlessness, palpitations, swollen ankles, lack of appetite, anxiety and depression.
Why your support is vital The BHF can encourage lifestyle changes to reduce risks of getting heart disease, and use surgery and drugs to minimise the effects of it, but the human heart cannot heal itself. At the moment, once your heart ‘breaks’, it stays that way. Help them to give hope to millions.
Simon Stevens
regular in various races around Brighton. Entering the Midnight Half Marathon was a totally different experience for me. It meant I had to include longer training runs, plus the event is at a different time of year! Contending with city centre crowds at midnight on a Saturday also made for an interesting experience.” Another keen participant, Simon
Stevens explained his motivation for running: “On August 6th last year I started running 2012 miles in 365 days for charity. My miles are run on the treadmill, the roads and in events and saw the BHF Midnight Half Marathon as something to make my challenge more interesting. I found the run demanding on the legs but great fun and it’s all in memory of my father in law and of course for the charity.” Others participants like Mat Cowdrey
take part to stay fit. Mat said: “I’ve competed in various BHF events over the years. I run because I used to be nearly 21 stone! I am now a svelte 15
Nigel Sarjudeen
stone. It was my birthday on Sunday 30th October, so what better way to celebrate it than by supporting one of my favourite charities with a gentle jog around Brighton?” BHF event organiser Kate Sparks said: “Our Midnight Half Marathon in Brighton is a fantastic event and it had a very special atmosphere this year. The last runner to complete the route came in at around 3.30am, however all BHF staff and volunteers were still bright and breezy and welcomed them back with a big cheer. We’re in our second year and we have grown from strength to strength. So has the fantastic support we receive, as you can see people have different reasons for taking part and all of them do make a difference. I would really encourage those like Nigel and Simon to continue to raise and collect their sponsorship money, as every penny they raise will save lives.” To take part in a BHF run go to
www.bhf.org.uk/runsandjogs or email them at
eastevents@bhf.org.uk
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