Sparks 4 Hearts

A Norfolk Heart Trust appeal to raise £400,000 for specialist equipment used in Electrophysiology (EP) and Ablation.

Background

Each heart beat is initiated by an electrical impulse. We are usually not aware of this happening and our heart beat continues in an automatic fashion. We have all probably felt a lurch in our hearts sometimes when we get an extra (or ectopic) beat which is rarely a problem.

However some people are aware of their hearts suddenly going very fast – not associated with exercise or emotion – and this is due to a short circuit in the electrical pathway. This may just make an individual feel breathless, dizzy and lightheaded. Sometimes it even leads to a complete faint or syncope.

These sort of palpitations are very unpleasant for people – often requiring attendance at A&E for urgent treatment. Tablets are often required for treatment but increasingly it is possible to do an electrical wiring diagram from inside the heart (electrophysiology or EP) and find the short circuit. Once found, a safe area can be ablated – usually with a high energy catheter or alternatively with a very cold (-70 degrees) tipped catheter.

The Appeal

The Cardiology department at the Norfolk & Norwich University NHS Foundation trust want to deliver electrophysiology and ablation in Norfolk rather than travelling to Papworth more than 70 miles away from Norwich.

The NNUH trust has invested £3.1 million into a state of the art THIRD angiography suite for use in coronary angiography, balloon and stent treatement (PCI or percutaneous intervention), pacemakers including the type of pacemakers that can deliver life saving shocks to the heart (ICD). It has also been designed to be suitable for electrophysiology and ablation.

The NHS currently provide this treatment but the consultant cardiologists at NNUH and NNUH Trust are so committed to providing this service in Norwich for local people that they want to raise the funds to provide the equipment for EP and ablation.

The Norfolk Heart Trust is supporting the appeal to raise £400,000 and has already donated £100,000. The NHT raised £1million (Balloons 4 Hearts) so that PCI (angioplasty and stenting) could occur at NNUH.

The Geoffrey Watling Charity have donated £50,000 (they also very generously gave £200,000 to the Balloons4Hearts appeal some years ago) following an application for funding by Dr Leisa Freeman.

Dr Liam Hughes, consultant cardiologist who rowed the North Sea for Balloons 4 Hearts, has pledged to cycle from the home of the electrocardiogram or ECG - the investigation which shows the heart rhythm and is still very important today – via Eindhoven (another famous place in the development of understanding the electrical activity of the heart) and then to row across the English Channel, then cycle to St Bartholomews Hospital in London (where many early discoveries of the electrical supply of the heart were and still are made) and finally cycle to Norwich. This is planned for June 2011.

There are a number of fund raising activities planned by members of the department.

WE ALSO NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE

How to Donate

The methods for donating to Sparks 4 Hearts are listed on the Norfolk Heart Trust web site on their Donate Now! page.

How to let us know about fund raising activities

email to clairelhughes@norfolkhearttrust.co.uk
email to treasurer NHT tony.page@nnuh.nhs.uk
email to secretary NHT sheilamwood375@btinternet.com
email to chairman NHT iain.brooksby@gmail.com