Actor-explorer Brian Blessed ‘climbs’ Mount Everest to give hope to those with heart failure in new animated video launched today:

World Heart Day 2021

• “GORDON’S ALIVE…! “actor-explorer Brian Blessed gives hope and encouragement to those diagnosed with heart failure; likening the heart failure journey to navigating Mount Everest in an engaging new 2.5 minute British Society for Heart Failure (BSH) animated video launched today
• BSH ‘Freedom from Failure – the F Word’ strategy aligns with World Heart Day messaging: ‘use heart to connect’:
  • BSH ‘FREEDOM FROM FAILURE‘: Self-recognition of the symptoms of fighting for breath, fatigue and fluid retention and seeking early medical advice will improve early detection, diagnosis and referral to a heart failure care specialist will ultimately improve outcomes for those with heart failure
  • WHD ‘USE HEART TO CONNECT‘: is about using your knowledge, compassion and influence to make sure you, your loved ones and the communities you’re part of, have the best chance to live heart-healthy lives. It’s about connecting with our own hearts, making sure we’re fuelling and nurturing them as best we can, and using the power of digital to connect every heart, everywhere.
• Heart failure is a growing societal issue exacerbated directly and indirectly by the CoViD-19 pandemic
  • According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)^[i], since 2 July 2021 there have been 9,619 excess deaths in England and Wales, 48 per cent (4,635) of which were NOT caused by CoViD-19
    •  Data from Public Health England (PHE) show that during that period heart failure was implicated in 1,552 excess deaths^[ii]

Wednesday 29 September 2021. World Heart Day 2021: At least 1 million people are affected by heart failure in the UK^[iii] with a further 200,000 newly diagnosed each year^[iv]. More common than some cancers^[v] and with comparable malignancy without treatment, heart failure should be diagnosed and treated with similar urgency. Early diagnosis and heart failure specialist care is crucial.

Brian Blessed’s Mount Everest ‘climb’ likened to heart failure journey: In an engaging new 2.5 minute  animated video launched by BSH today [watch here], “GORDON’S ALIVE…! ” actor-explorer, Brian Blessed, is depicted as a mountaineer attempting to climb Mount Everest to draw analogies and parallels between the meticulous planning and teamwork needed to tackle the journey of heart failure as in navigating the iconic peak.

Blessed has himself attempted to climb Mount Everest three times without supplemental oxygen, nicknamed ‘Big Yeti’ by his Sherpas, he reached  heights of 28,200 feet (8,600 m) in 1993 and 25,200 feet (7,700 m) in 1996 (but without reaching the summit). The animated video, designed to help map out the journey like a mountain climb and simply lay out some of the choices and options, is to give hope and encouragement to those diagnosed with heart failure. Brian Blessed, ambassador for the ‘Freedom from Failure – the F Word’ strategy, no stranger to heart problems himself, appears in a number of campaign videos, posters and in social media messaging and now stars in this video. In his own words: “Don’t let heart failure stop you from fulfilling your dreams”, Blessed wants to reassure people who recognise symptoms of heart failure in themselves and loved ones for the first time (and those already diagnosed) that with the plethora of management options, you can live well longer  and freer from the burden of heart failure symptoms with specialist care and guidance.

British Society for Heart Failure aligns with World Heart Day 2021

Heart failure implicated in excess deaths:

Since 2^nd July 2021, heart failure has been implicated in 1,552 excess deaths – measured as the difference between the reported number of deaths in a given week or month and an estimate of the expected number of deaths for that period had the COVID-19 pandemic not occurred^[vi].

Professor Simon Williams, Heart Failure Consultant, Wythenshawe, Manchester and Chair of the BSH commented: “In a week where heart failure has been implicated in over 1,500 excess deaths, it is vitally important for the BSH to talk about the ‘Freedom from Failure – the F Word’ symptom self-recognition campaign which encourages earlier detection of the condition. That our call to action aligns with the World Heart Day’ s: ‘using your knowledge, compassion and influence to make sure you, your loved ones and the communities you’re part of, have the best chance to live heart-healthy lives’, is particularly poignant. We are urging that everyone actively checks for common symptoms of heart failure such as fighting for breath, fatigue and fluid retention in ourselves and those around us and to seek early medical advice to improve early diagnosis and ultimately outcomes such as mortality”.

“Heart failure is a complex long term condition, rarely existing in isolation, the management of which requires specialist advice and guidance. Whilst it remains a burdensome, debilitating and potentially life threatening condition, it is possible to live well with heart failure. This is an important aim of the care we provide as heart failure specialists”, Professor Williams concluded.

Carys Barton, Heart Failure Nurse Consultant, Imperial College Healthcare Trust and Chair of the BSH Nurse Forum commented: “The clinical community should reflect on the importance of detecting and diagnosing people affected with heart failure as early as possible to be able to improve patient outcomes. The public also need to be more aware of the symptoms as a proportion of those with heart failure do not know they have the condition and may end up as an emergency hospital admission. With increased knowledge and understanding those experiencing symptoms of heart failure should be able to recognise these and speak to a clinician such as their General Practitioner. This will ensure the recommended blood test (NTproBNP) is undertaken and onward referral for clinical assessment by heart failure specialists who can initiate the appropriate treatments promptly should reduce emergency hospital admissions and support people with heart failure to be able to live better for longer.”