In 2009, Above & Beyond’s Heart of Bristol Appeal contributed nearly £850,000 towards the new Bristol Heart Institute (BHI) to bring 21st century healthcare to cardiac patients across the South West. 

Your generous donations helped to create a positive healing environment and enhanced state of the art equipment and technology.

All core medical equipment was funded by the NHS, but funds raised by you helped us to provide above and beyond what the NHS is able to afford, including:

·       Providing tele-medicine facilities to link with centres throughout the region to enable urgent consultations, referrals and advice within a matter of minutes. Leading clinicians are able to share their expertise with fellow professionals and students in real-time case conferences, teaching sessions and tele-conferencing.

·       Enhancing and upgrading the centre's patient monitoring system to allow maximum mobility for recovering patients.

·       The creation of a warm, welcoming, and comfortable atrium for patients and visitors, and the furnishing and equipping of two visitor accommodation rooms.

·       Funding of an arts programme ranging from a suspended sculpture to wall art, as art has a significant role in improving the wellbeing and health of patients, visitors, carers, and staff. This is supported by a review undertaken in 2007 by Department of Health, and promoted by NHS Estates, The Princes Foundation, CABE and The Kings Fund.

The calming, quality and relaxing feel of the new BHI will certainly help to minimise anxiety at what is such a difficult time for many. On behalf of all patients I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to make this new facility so spectacular.

- Peter Ashdown, former patient

We had some amazing support for the Appeal from donors and fundraisers, including those who took part in our daredevil zip wire, ran the Bristol 10k and sponsored the cardiac surgeons on their 200 mile cycle around the South West.

Read more about the impact of the Heart of Bristol Appeal in our Impact Report here. 

One of our most famous supporters was former patient of the Bristol cardiac services and intrepid explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes. 

"Bristol is a good place to have a heart attack" he joked and praised Professor Gianni Angelini and the team at the BRI who saved him in 2003 after suffering a heart attack while sitting in an aircraft at Bristol airport. He later went on to run seven marathons in seven days.

Please continue to support the BHI with our latest appeal

The BHI currently needs new equipment for keyhole surgery. Please help support our patients, donate to the BHI Appeal here.