Surviving Heart Valve Disease: Marina McGrath
At Heart Valve Voice our patients are extremely important to us, they are the reason that we are working so hard to raise awareness and improve the diagnosis and treatment of heart valve disease. Their stories are vital when it comes to helping other patients and also clinicians understand the disease and what it’s like living with the disease better. As well as having an amazing group of patients who have shared their stories with us, we also have a dedicated team of patient ambassadors that form our Patient Action Group (PAG) and help us to spread the word about heart valve disease and the importance of awareness.
One of our newest additions to the PAG is Marina McGrath. She has inspired us from our first meeting with her at the British Cardiac Society Conference where she told us about her experience with heart valve disease. Marina, a Midwife, learned of her valve disease shortly after she had turned 50 and received her life changing surgery in 2014. We sat down with Marina to talk to her about her experience and how her life is after treatment.
Marina McGrath with Wil Woan, Heart Valve Voice CEO
Tell us about your diagnosis and how it felt to find out you had heart valve disease.
It was a very eye opening experience, I already was aware that I had a heart murmur (one of the signs of valve disease) as I had suffered from Rheumatic Fever when I was very young so but never really thought anything of it. Then just after I turned 50 I looked into Hormone Replacement Therapy and while at the clinic was told I needed to see my GP because I had raised blood pressure. Thinking back, I remember that I had been feeling some of the symptoms of valve disease such as shortness of breath and tiredness, but I put it down to an age thing and my active job. When my GP listened to my heart, he promptly diagnosed me with aortic stenosis and immediately referred me to a cardiologist. I honestly felt in shock, I didn’t believe him! I was only 50, I was active and healthy, I couldn’t believe I had heart valve disease!
So how is your life now that you have had valve replacement surgery?
I have always led a very full life, but when my aortic stenosis was at its worst, a lot of the things I really enjoy doing like going for hill walking became quite difficult. Since my surgery, I am back to leading my full life and up until recently that included working full time as a midwife (I have now semi-retired and only do two shifts a week). I have continued with all of my previous forms of exercise especially my hill walking, in fact, a year after my surgery I went on a walking holiday in Turkey where we were walking anywhere from three to seven hours a day! I’m now looking into what my next adventure will be.
Why have you decided to get involved with Heart Valve Voice?
My life changed for the better after I had treatment for heart valve disease. It always surprises me after I tell someone about my experience, they say that they had never heard of valve disease before! With its prevalence and with our ageing population, it should be something that everyone is aware of like any other heart disease. I truly believe that the more people who are aware, the sooner they can receive their diagnosis and treatment, the better so many people’s lives will be – I’m a shining example of this. So for me, working with Heart Valve Voice is a great way to help raise that awareness and to get the word out about the symptoms, breathlessness, tiredness and chest pains so that people over the age of 50 are getting themselves checked and in some cases getting their lives back!
To read Marina’s and other patient’s Heart Valve Disease Stories and to learn more about valve disease and Heart Valve Voice please visit their website: www.heartvalvevoice.com
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