Heart Valve Voice Patient Portraits ‘Photos from the Heart’
Capturing the moments that matter most to show life before and after heart valve disease
Heart Valve Voice, in collaboration with The Royal Photographic Society, is hosting a national photography competition to raise awareness of heart valve disease. Highlighting the disease’s prevalence and symptoms, and showing that with timely treatment, patients can return to a good or even better quality of life.
‘Patient Portraits: Photos from the Heart’ asks anyone in the UK over 18 to submit five pictures that capture those shared moments, treasured memories or acts of kindness and love. Each image will capture a moment that is ‘from the heart’, that speaks to the time we are in and the challenges we have faced together.
Winners will be selected from each region by an independent selection panel. Each regional winner will then be paired with a local heart valve disease patient to capture what the quality of life after treatment means to them. The regional finalists will have their photographic documentary of a heart valve disease patient exhibited at the Houses of Parliament where a National Winner will be announced.
‘Patient Portraits: Photos from the Heart’ provides a window for everyone involved to learn more about heart valve disease, a condition a which affects approximately 1.5 million people over the age of 65 in the UK. While there have been many advancements in the treatment of this disease, the unfortunate fact is that too many people are not being diagnosed and treated early enough.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has placed a considerable strain on valve disease patients, with many experiencing delays and disruptions to treatments, and many having to spend a prolonged period isolated and away from their families. ‘Photos from the Heart’ seeks to capture the acts of kindness, love, family and community that have created treasured moments and memories from this unprecedented situation.
“The Heart Valve Voice photography competition was an amazing experience for me.” said 2018’s overall winner Eric Etchart. “Getting to view Alan’s [Tancred] active lifestyle and being able to capture his passion for dance was a privilege. It showed me that heart valve disease doesn’t need to restrict how much fun you can have! Awareness of valve disease is an important step to getting back peoples’ quality of life. I’m so happy that I was able to share these photographs and most importantly, Alan’s story.”
Heart Valve Voice invites you to enter this year’s Photography Competition. Together, through this celebration of acts of kindness and love, we can raise awareness of heart valve disease and promote the power of positive ageing.
2018s winners
Go to their website to find out more
