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Emily's Story

Name: Emily Sterling Age: 24 Age when diagnosed: 6 weeks old Condition: Bicuspid aortic valve, mixed aortic valve disease (aortic stenosis and regurgitation) In February 2015 (just after my 20th birthday) I had open heart surgery…
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Liza's Story

Name: Liza Morton Age: 41 Age Diagnosed: At birth Condition: Congenital heart block and a surgically fixed atrial septal defect (ASD) Growing up, I tried to focus on the positives but we are our stories and mine emerged from difficulty.…
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David's Story

Name: David Makinson Age: 54, born May 1964 Age Diagnosed: Soon after birth at The Middlesex Hospital, London – the child of a single mother who wished to put me up for adoption. How has CHD affected your mental health? In a nutshell,…
Patient: Adam Stevens
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Adam's Story

Name: Adam Stevens Age: 39 Age when diagnosed: 2 weeks (originally suspected ToF) Condition: Transposition of the great arteries. How has having a heart condition impacted on your mental health? It’s given a schema of life that…
Somerville Foundation Appeal
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Susan's Story

Name: Susan Manley nee Millard Age: 66 Age when diagnosed: Before 1 year old Condition: Three holes in the heart and faulty Tricuspid valve How has having a heart condition impacted on your mental health? We were the experimental…
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Roderick's Story

Name: Roderick Skinner Age: 77 Age when diagnosed: 44 Condition: Triple bypass and replacement of defective (congenital)  aortic valve with a mechanical heart valve. How has having a heart condition impacted on your mental health? The…
Somerville Foundation
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Izzy's Story

Read an Extract from Izzy's original post... My Open Heart. I started to walk faster, legs shaking, and sheer panic overtook my entire body. As fast as my shaking legs could take me, I stumbled down the escalator of Oxford Circus station, attempting…
Heart shape stencilled on to white socks
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My Open Heart

I started to walk faster, legs shaking, and sheer panic overtook my entire body. As fast as my shaking legs could take me, I stumbled down the escalator of Oxford Circus station, attempting to get home. I carried the ‘panic attack’ label…