Alexandra's story

“I was diagnosed with heart failure in 2019 after having difficulties breathing. I bought myself a smart watch and it was showing that my normal heart rate was 130bpm, and I wasn’t able to go up the stairs properly. I remember walking around a local museum and needing to stop. I couldn’t breathe.” 

Alexandra was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect at age 12 when she started having difficulty at school playing sport. She had heart surgery within weeks of her diagnosis.

“Having heart surgery so young and going through what I did, destroyed me. There’s no other way of putting it. Things you would normally contemplate at 12 had gone into a different realm. Everyone treats you differently. After surgery I was exhausted all the time.”

Alexandra sought support from her family and friends and the BHF, and even began fundraising and volunteering for the BHF. Today she lives with heart failure which affects her breathing but takes medication to help with her symptoms.

“It’s only when I talk about it when I realise how far I’ve come. I got my Law degree, I’ve given birth to two children, I’ve done all my campaigning for the BHF. I thank the BHF for making sure I never held back in life.”

Unfortunately, right now, there is no cure for Alexandra who desperately wants to see her children grow up. That's why Professor Sanjay Sinha's research is so important.

Sanjay’s Heart Healing Patch could make a world of difference to people like Alexandra. Support our research into regenerative medicine by donating to BHF today.