The First Ever European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day
Heart Valve Voice, a UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of heart valve disease will be participating in the very first European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, set to take place on 8 September at London ExCel.
Heart Valve Voice has joined forces with a number of partner patient organisations from across Europe including France, Spain, The Netherlands, Ireland and Italy to create a day that will help to raise the profile of heart valve disease across Europe. Heart valve disease affects over 10 million Europeans but unfortunately, heart valve disease isn’t well understood or well known by the general public. Only 3.8% of over 60 year olds living in Europe know what aortic stenosis, the most common form of heart valve disease, is.
Heart valve disease is a heart condition where the heart valves no longer work properly. Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the four heart valves that control the flow of blood become worn, diseased or damaged. Symptoms include, breathlessness, fatigue, feeling older than one’s age and chest pains – symptoms that often get confused with ageing. While it is very common, with over 1.5 million people in the UK having the disease, it is also very treatable. Days like the European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day and the work of organisations like Heart Valve Voice focus on raising awareness of the disease, its symptoms and the need for timely diagnosis and treatment.
The European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day is based around a four A action plan: Awareness, Ask, Action, and Access and will include all of the partner organisations celebrating the day in each of their countries to unite us in one simple goal – raising awareness.
We are inviting anyone who has been affected by heart valve disease, whether it be through their own diagnosis, that of a family member or as part of your work as a carer to come and join us in London to celebrate the day. You will have the opportunity to meet with expert clinicians and patients and also show your support by celebrating quality of life after treatment. There will be a number of events to participate in such as a patient information summit featuring a panel of our key clinical ambassadors, a meet and greet and a patient presentation.
For anyone who wants to participate in the day but can’t be in London, we will be hosting a Tweet Chat beginning at 4:30pm on 8 September. A Tweet Chat brings together Twitter users from all over to participate in a discussion with experts in the field of cardiology, patient ambassadors and the team from Heart Valve Voice. Participants will be able to ask questions, share insight and contribute their experiences from the comfort of their own home or wherever they may be. Following the hashtag #heartvalveday, we will be sharing facts, figures, resources and answering all of your queries.
Please hold the date of the 8th September, We will be posting more details on our social media and website as soon as they are confirmed.
Contact [email protected] to register your interest in attending or for more information about the Tweet chat including full instructions.
For more information on the European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day visit the website
Heart Valve Voice Twitter and Facebook: @HeartValveVoice
European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day Twitter: @EuropeanDay
European Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day Facebook: @heartvalvedayEU
