BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre to host Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK 2019

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30 July 2019

PATIENT ASSOCIATION INVITES THE UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER TO HOST HIGH-PROFILE NATIONAL EVENT

MEDIA RELEASE: 29th July 2019

CONTACT: Gareth Owens T: 07471 733122 E: Gareth@kirbyhill.org

BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre to host Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK 2019

National patient association Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland has announced that the fourth annual Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK, on 19th September 2019, will be hosted by the British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Centre at the University of Leicester. This full-day event will see over 100 patients and family members affected by Aortic Dissection join with leading national and international experts in the field of Aortic disease to share their experiences and discuss how to improve care for patients with Aortic Dissection in the UK.

Making the announcement today, Mr. Gareth Owens, Chair of Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland and an Aortic Dissection survivor himself, said: “Each year, we award the honour of hosting our flagship annual event to a centre that is doing great work in the field of Aortic Dissection. The University of Leicester has published ground-breaking research that is leading to significant improvement in care for patients across the UK. We also get great feedback from patients about the care they receive at Glenfield Hospital, where the Research Centre is located. With this award, we want to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the University of Leicester team and build a closer working relationship with them to develop further research in the field of Aortic Dissection.”

Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK takes place on 19th September – a date established as global Aortic Dissection Awareness Day by the worldwide movement that is increasing awareness of this life-threatening disease. Over 20 countries are expected to host an Aortic Dissection Awareness event this year. With 180 delegates, the UK event in Leicester is expected to be by far the largest. In previous years, Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK has been hosted by Barts Health NHS Trust (the largest cardiac surgery centre in Europe), Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital; and the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. For 2019, the University of Leicester intends to make the event even bigger and better than before.

Professor Gavin Murphy, British Heart Foundation Chair of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Leicester, explains: “As a research centre, patient engagement is absolutely crucial to what we do. Aortic Dissection is a complex, multi-faceted disease and we need patients to work with us to develop and conduct the research projects that will make the biggest difference to them. I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland. We are going to use this event to host a unique collaboration with patients and tackle a real research challenge in the field of Aortic Dissection.”

Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK 2019 is an invitation-only event and is likely to be oversubscribed. More information is available online at aorticdissectionawareness.org

PHOTO:

Prof. Gavin Murphy & Mr. Gareth Owens with the event organising committee in Leicester

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