Cardiovascular Research Centre Appeal

The Leicester Cardiovascular Research Centre - Glenfield Hospital

Donors and supporters join Professor Nilesh Samani and Bhikhu Hindocha at the launch of the public appeal in August 2011 at Highcross Shopping Centre.

The Appeal

The University of Leicester have launched a public appeal to raise the final £1 million to complete and equip a new £12.6m Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Glenfield Hospital, the regional centre for secondary and specialist cardiac care. The project has already attracted major funding from a number of organisations, including the British Heart Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation and the Edith Murphy Foundation together with the generous support of the Leicester public, local groups and associations and several individual major donors. The launch took place at the Highcross centre on 25th August with the unveiling of Diane Maclean's sculpture 'Stranded Heart' purchased for the research centre by an anonymous donor and the symbol of the public appeal. The event was attended by consultants, patients, councillors and supporters from a number of community groups and associations including Heartsearch who have raised £10,001 and the Lohana Malaya who raised £10,501. The four-floor centre is due to open in spring 2012 and will double the size of existing laboratory space and include specialised equipment to scale up research and translate research into new treatments for patients more quickly.

For a selection of notable achievements of the Department of Cardiovascular Science click here. 

Cardiovascular Disease: The Harsh Facts

• Heart disease is the United Kingdom’s biggest killer.
• It is the cause of 1 in 3 deaths: 200,000 men, women and children die annually
• 700,000 people are living with heart failure
• Every 6 minutes someone dies of a heart attack

To read an open letter from Professor Nilesh Samani, British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiology, University of Leicester & Glenfield Hospital click here

The Need

Each day, in the East Midlands alone, 9 people die prematurely of heart disease with profound effects on their families and friends.  Each year Cardiac Services at the University’s teaching hospital at Glenfield see over 16,000 patients.  Furthermore, according to the British Heart Foundation, spending on research into heart disease equates to just 9% of the UK’s overall spending on medical research, one of the lowest spends on research into any disease and three times smaller than research into cancer.  These harsh facts mean that cardiovascular research is, and will continue to remain, the highest priority for the University of Leicester.

However the breadth and depth of our research, further advances in treatment and care and ultimately the quality of patients’ lives are being adversely affected by the need for more high quality laboratory and academic research space and specialist equipment for cardiovascular research.  This is severely hampering the work of our leading investigators and holding back the development and growth of our research teams.  This inevitably restricts advances in treatment and leads to delays in converting research knowledge and discoveries into improved risk reduction, clinical practice and patient care.  This is why the building and equipping of a new CRC is the highest priority for the University, and a central element of the University’s strategy and vision for the future development and enhancement of cardiovascular research in Leicester. 

For more information on 'The Need' click here.

Leicester is at the forefront of Cardiovascular Research

The Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester has developed an enviable international reputation in research with a multidisciplinary cadre of principal investigators and a prestigious British Heart Foundation chair in cardiology which is held by Professor Nilesh Samani, one of the foremost researchers in cardiovascular genetics in the world. In the recent national Research Assessment Exercise, Leicester was highly rated and 95% of its cardiovascular research was considered to be of an international level. The close relationship with the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHLT) has led to a clear, long term strategy to raise understanding of cardiovascular disease and its prevention and treatment.

For more information on Leicester's world leading Department of Cardiovascular Sciences click here.

Who Will Benefit?

• Thousands at risk of dying every year from heart attacks
• The 2.5 million people living with heart disease
• The millions more at risk due to factors such as high blood pressure , cholesterol and diabetes
• Families predisposed to congenital heart disease
• All who would otherwise have to cope with the death of a loved one
• The millions of carers of those currently incapacitated by heart disease

How You Can Help

• Make a Regular donation: £25, £50, £100 or more will support vital ongoing research
• Arrange a donation in your Will to guarantee lasting support for a cause you care about
• Donate in Memory as a meaningful way to honour a loved one
• Make a Major Donation: as little as £8,000 will fund a piece of state-of the art equipment for the CRC
• Consider joining the Silver Hearts Circle, which recognizes donors who have chosen to make gifts of £20,000 or more

Click here to see what your donation could buy.

Making a Donation is Easy. Thank You for your Invaluable Support

To make an online donation click here.

or Text LCRC11 £10 to 70070 to donate £10^*

To discuss a donation and for further information:

Phone:     +44(0) 116 223 1071

Email:      crc.appeal@le.ac.uk

^*Texts are charged at your mobile phone operator's standard rate. Donation amounts must be in whole pounds up to £10 (£1, £2, £3, £4, £5, £10). The University will receive 100% of your donation. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer's permission. For full terms and conditions and more information, please visit www.justgiving.com/info/terms-of-service