A RED bench at Bristol Arrow Bowling Club celebrates a local woman’s heart transplant.
Eloise Allen is one of just 65 people across the UK chosen by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to have a bench with their name on it, to celebrate 65 years of the charity funding life-saving cardiovascular research.
Eloise, now 25, had her transplant in 2002, just before her second birthday, after she had been diagnosed with viral dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) caused by the Hand, Foot and Mouth virus which she caught at nursery. Within 24 hours of going on the urgent transplant list, a donor was found. Eloise, who was nearly two, had a cardiac arrest on her way into theatre and another on the operating table but was resuscitated and the transplant was successful.
Today, thanks to advances in research and treatment, Eloise lives a full and active life. She enjoys going to the gym and playing lawn bowls at Bristol Arrow Bowling Club and has completed a degree in Business Computing and a Masters in Sustainability Development. Eloise and her mum Rebecca, who is a nurse, are also in contact with her heart donor’s family.
Eloise is determined to raise awareness surrounding heart disease.
She said: ‘It’s really cool to tell people about I have a bench. Usually a bench is for people who have passed but this is a celebration of life. I’m honoured to be involved in the campaign which I really hope will promote wider awareness of heart conditions.’
“Thanks to the incredible progress of research into heart conditions, this year marks 24 years of my new heart, which is just amazing. I’m always happy to share my story as I know it’s a success story that can bring others hope.
“I hope the bench inspires people to learn more about heart conditions and about the BHF.’
Every three minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease, which affects more than eight million people nationwide.
Eloise said: “I had my heart transplant as a child but it has affected my mental health as an adult. I have generalised anxiety and I do worry that my life expectancy might be lower because of my transplant. I can never fully know what the future holds but I am still so grateful for the life I’ve been given thanks to my transplant.’
British Heart Foundation hopes the benches will encourage others to open up about their experience of living with cardiovascular disease, and help raise awareness across the UK.
The charity is also urging people for donations so they can help fund more groundbreaking research to keep the nation’s hearts beating.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at BHF, said: “Eloise’s story shows the true reality of living with cardiovascular disease, and we are so grateful that she is courageously sharing her experiences to help others.”