Helping hearts affected by cancer
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital is one of a handful of hospitals in the UK who offer care for those who have an existing heart condition and develop cancer, or whose heart is at risk of being damaged due to chemotherapy treatments.
How does this work?
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The key to this very focused care is the scanning of a patient's heart
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Helping to assess the impact that their cancer treatments are having
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So it’s vital that we have the best equipment possible to get the most accurate readings.
Dr Rebecca Dobson, our Consultant Cardio-Oncologist explains more about this highly specialised branch of medicine.
How you can make a difference
This is why we are asking you to support our appeal to purchase a dedicated 3D Echocardiogram machine for our cardio-oncology unit. This new machine will enable us to see hundreds more people and help prevent delays in their treatment. Giving them many more years with their families and loved ones.
Read Deborah's story to see what it means to her...
"I was just 52 when I was first diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Despite having my breast removed and undergoing chemo and radiotherapy, the cancer spread to my lymph nodes. I needed further chemotherapy treatment.
"After the latest round of chemo I noticed that my heart was beating so fast, I thought it would burst out of my chest. I had an ECG and was immediately referred to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, where I met Dr Dobson who gave me a heart monitor to wear for 24 hours.
"Just a few hours later, she rang me and said that I had to come to the hospital at once. My heart was working at just 33% capacity. I had been feeling so poorly for such a long time, I put it all down to the cancer treatments. It was an enormous shock to discover that my heart had been affected like this. Honestly, I am lucky to be alive and it's because of the skill of the team at this amazing hospital that I am.
"Without them, I might not have been here to care for my own family or to see my little granddaughter grow up."