Scarlett’s story
Scarlett was diagnosed with heart disease when she was just 10 years old. A few years later, the Sydney schoolgirl’s heart stopped beating in the middle of dance class and she collapsed.
“When I was 13, my heart started to fail and l had two cardiac arrests. I ended up on life support for 16 days.”
Will you donate to support critical research that could save thousands of Australians from the threat of serious heart failure?
Scarlett’s parents were terrified.
“They told us we have two options: we can turn off her life support and let her die, or we can try for a heart transplant,” her mum Amanda said. “They said we had 14 days.”
Fortunately for Scarlett, a new heart was found. But not everyone with end-stage heart failure is as lucky as Scarlett.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) takes the life of one Australian every 12 minutes.
In Australia, there are 10,000 new heart failure patients every year. For many, the only chance for survival is a heart transplant. But fewer than 120 hearts are available for transplant each year – leaving thousands waiting.
In a world first, researchers from the Heart Research Institute (HRI), led by Dr Carmine Gentile, are working on an alternative approach to repairing damaged heart muscle that could lead to heart failure – and the need for heart transplants – using 3D-printed ‘mini-hearts’.
Make a tax-deductible donation, and help make the mini-hearts technology a reality. Help thousands of people on the heart transplant waiting list.
Help save the lives of people like Scarlett
The new technology, developed by Dr Gentile and his team, uses bioprinted ‘mini-hearts’ and ‘patches’ to repair areas of damaged tissue in a failing heart.
“My team has been researching the differences between a healthy and a damaged heart for over 15 years. These studies helped us to bioengineer mini-hearts that can prevent and treat cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide.
“We believe our research could offer a real, long-term alternative to heart transplants for patients with heart failure.”
It truly is incredible technology, but we need your support to start human clinical trials.
“Our personalised bioprinted patches could significantly reduce risks, times and costs associated with a heart transplant. We’re working every day to refine our technology and make it available to cardiovascular patients.”
For Scarlett, and millions of others affected by heart failure, the answers to these questions are life-changing.
Amanda hopes research done by Dr Gentile and his team will spare others the trauma of their family’s experience.
“I want Scarlett and others to have the best possible care and treatment available.”
While we have made critical advancements in cardiovascular research, there is still so much do. Your tax-deductible donation today will help fund new treatment for heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases.
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Stand with us against heart disease – donate today.
