Introducing Somerville Heart Foundation!
Since it began in 1993, Somerville Heart Foundation has been helping people across the UK living with congenital heart disease. This patient organisation is dedicated to supporting those with CHD – from young people transitioning to adult services, through every life stage to those growing older.
Providing a range of services and support including advocacy, communication, and a community, Somerville Heart Foundation also campaigns for the medical rights of those with CHD to ensure that they live happier, healthier, and longer lives. The organisation works closely with researchers and healthcare professionals to ensure that the voice of the patient is heard.
One of the many current areas of focus for Somerville Heart Foundation is providing advice to those facing life milestones, such as contraception, pregnancy, and menopause, all with the additional challenges which can occur with CHD. They have also recently sponsored a series of events for those transitioning from paediatric to adult care. Following on from the transition work Somerville does, Youth@Heart (a charity providing youth services in the South West and South Wales) has now merged with Somerville Heart Foundation to increase our support offering for young people from the age of 13.
Somerville Heart Foundation is creating positive changes in the non-medical and psychological health of those with CHD, as well as the friends and family who support them. As a stakeholder in the CHD Priority Setting Partnership, where the 10 priorities for research were identified, mental health was listed as the third most important (following many discussions that it should be number one!), we are increasing our psychological support and offering placements to Post Doctoral counselling psychology students at Glasgow Caledonian University. As was noted by our late Former President Michael Cumper:
“Whilst CHD is a physical disorder, the impact on mental health is often greater. Needing regular specialist follow up means always thinking of yourself as a patient and living with an incurable disease is a burden on the mind”.
Offering guidance on Lifestyle issues, facilitating research, encouraging trainee medics into the field of ACHD medicine and so much more
Find out more and sign up to access the Somerville Heart Foundation resources at www.sfhearts.org.uk
