A mother-of-two living with heart failure has described the condition as a “shadow” in her everyday life - but hopes scientists can find a cure.
Alexandra Ellis, from Darlington, was diagnosed in 2019 aged just 29 despite having successful open-heart surgery as a youngster when she was 12.
The condition affects her breathing and means she must take daily medication to help with her symptoms, all while her family worryingly don’t know what the future might hold.
Yet she remains positive that advanced medical research can help her, and thousands of others diagnosed with similar conditions.
Ms Ellis has pledged her support behind a scientist’s plaster-like heart patch that he believes could save countless lives. The revolutionary patch is aimed at helping people with heart failure – who face only a 50/50 chance of survival after five years – to live longer.
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Professor Sanjay Sinha and his team at the University of Cambridge have, in research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), managed to create a patch of heart tissue that contracts like the heart muscle does when it beats.
They aim to graft the patches onto damaged areas of the heart to help repair the vital organ, and hope further funding can help enable the first clinical trials of the patch in patients.
Speaking of the research, Ms Ellis said: “The British Heart Foundation’s research gives me all the hope in the world that there are new breakthroughs out there.
“Thanks to advances in medical research, my life was saved once before – and I have no doubt that it will save my life again.”
The team of researchers say donations for their ground-breaking work will help inspire them over the finish line of the London Marathon next month.
The funds raised by Prof Sinha and other BHF runners will go towards nine cutting-edge research projects into regenerative medicine – including the patch – all of which are aimed at finding a cure for heart failure.
Prof Sinha, BHF senior clinical research fellow at Cambridge, said the patch “could have the ability to improve and save the lives of millions worldwide”.
He added: “Our hope for the heart healing patch is to restore the lifespan and quality of life for people living with heart failure.
“The support of the BHF’s runners and supporters at this year’s TCS London Marathon could be truly transformative and help us carry out the first clinical trials of the patch in patients.
“Running the marathon will be no easy feat but knowing that it could help fund the research of my team and provide hope for the millions affected by heart failure will inspire me over that finish line.”
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