Emma Willis has told how she was “floored” by a hole in the heart diagnosis as she met another mother with the same condition.
The broadcaster, who earlier this week admitted she was “nervous” about taking over from Zoe Ball on the BBC Radio 2 Saturday lunchtime slot this weekend, discovered she was living with a hole in the heart last year.
The 49-year-old is now backing a new campaign by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to raise awareness of people living with heart conditions.
Willis unknowingly lived with a hole in her heart for 48 years, which only became evident after a routine health check last January.
Medics discovered she had an enlarged heart and a hole between the collecting chambers of the heart called an atrial septal defect.
Willis was told she had a congenital condition, meaning she was born with the hole in her heart.
It was closed during a keyhole operation at Royal Brompton Hospital in London two months after diagnosis.
Willis said: “The last thing I expected my cardiologist to say was that it was a congenital heart condition. I was floored as I had gone 48 years oblivious, not knowing anything was wrong.
“It was a bolt out of the blue, and I had a million questions going through my head.
“The mental shift was the biggest challenge, because when you hear those words, it terrifies you.
“My perspective on life shifted. From diagnosis to surgery was the most present I have been in my life.
“I’m hoping that sharing my story will help others going through something like this.”
As part of the BHF campaign, Willis met Aimee Nicholls, who has a hole in the heart, and Mrs Nicholls’ son Leo, eight, who also has congenital heart disease.
She also chatted to Michelle White, a mother of three who has undergone 13 different types of heart procedures.
The BHF is unveiling 65 red benches – one for each year the charity has been established – across the UK in tribute to those living with cardiovascular disease.
Each bench carries the name of a survivor plus a short message about them and what they enjoy.
Mrs Nicholls was born with a hole in her heart and underwent a keyhole procedure when she was four.
A 20-week scan then picked up that her son Leo would also be born with a hole in his heart.
When he was born in November 2017, Mrs Nicholls and her husband Alex were told their son had several heart defects and would need open heart surgery aged at just a week old.
“When we were told about Leo’s conditions, our world collapsed,” said Mrs Nicholls, 32, from Bristol.
“We’d gone from being told he had a minor heart defect that wouldn’t require surgery and would rectify itself, to being told that without open heart surgery he wouldn’t survive. We just broke down and couldn’t process it at all.”
After a successful operation, Leo was discharged from hospital two days before Christmas, although he might need further surgery.
Mrs White, 48, from Manchester, suffers from a faulty heart valve.
Her heart became enlarged and she had two open-heart operations to repair the valve.
As a result, she developed several abnormal heart rhythms and had a pacemaker fitted. She has also suffered several strokes but she has now been told her heart is functioning well due to treatment.
She said: “I won’t let fear define me. I’m taking things step by step, staying positive, and I feel I’m at a new chapter where I can focus on what truly matters most.”
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF, urged people to donate towards lifesaving research, adding: “We’re incredibly grateful to Emma, Aimee, Leo and Michelle for openly sharing their experiences of living with heart conditions.
“Their stories send a powerful message that cardiovascular disease can affect anyone, and that it’s OK to talk about your heart health.
“Our 65 iconic red BHF benches are creating spaces that celebrate real-life survivors and allow people to talk about their experiences, changing perceptions and inspiring support for research that saves and improves even more lives.”
