Emma Willis shared her experience of being shocked by a heart diagnosis after meeting another mother facing a similar condition. The presenter, who recently expressed feeling nervous about taking over Zoe Ball’s slot on BBC Radio 2’s Saturday show, discovered she had a heart defect last year.
She is now supporting a new initiative by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to raise awareness among individuals with cardiac issues. Willis had been living with a heart hole for 48 years without knowing until a routine checkup revealed it in January.
Following her diagnosis, the 49-year-old had keyhole surgery at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital to seal the congenital heart condition. She expressed her surprise at the diagnosis and the mental challenges it brought but hopes that sharing her story will help others in similar situations.
As part of her involvement with the BHF campaign, Willis met Aimee Nicholls and her son Leo, who both have heart conditions, as well as Michelle White, a mother of three with multiple heart procedures. The BHF plans to unveil 65 red benches across the UK, each representing a year of the charity’s existence and honoring heart disease survivors.
Aimee Nicholls underwent a keyhole procedure at a young age and later learned that her son Leo would also have a heart condition. Leo had open-heart surgery shortly after birth and may require more procedures in the future. Michelle White, living with a defective heart valve, has undergone surgeries and has a pacemaker but remains positive and focused on what truly matters.
Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, BHF’s chief executive, commended Emma, Aimee, Leo, and Michelle for sharing their stories and urged support for heart disease research. She emphasized the importance of discussing heart health openly and highlighted the impact of the red BHF benches in encouraging conversations and support for life-saving research.