Overview
- Willis learned during a routine check last January that she had an enlarged heart caused by an atrial septal defect she had unknowingly lived with for 48 years.
- Doctors closed the congenital hole via a keyhole procedure at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital two months after the diagnosis.
- As part of the campaign, Willis met Aimee Nicholls, her son Leo, and Michelle White to highlight varied experiences of congenital and complex heart conditions.
- The BHF is unveiling 65 red benches across the UK, each bearing a survivor’s name and a short message to prompt local conversations about heart health.
- BHF chief executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths urged public donations for lifesaving research, saying the shared stories show cardiovascular disease can affect anyone.