Solihull Mother Campaigns for Heart Health Awareness After Family Tragedy
A Solihull mother who was diagnosed with a serious heart condition as a teenager has spoken out about her devastating family losses, while being honored for her efforts to raise awareness. Thanieth Khan, 32, discovered she had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) at just 14 years old. This inherited disease causes the heart's muscle wall to become thinner and weaker, potentially leading to life-threatening complications.
Family Losses and Personal Resilience
Thanieth's personal journey has been marked by profound tragedy. Her mother Zarqa passed away from heart failure in 2015 at only 42 years old. Four years later, her brother Bilal died from a cardiac arrest, followed by another brother Hamza in 2022. "Losing my family was devastating but it also changed my mindset," Thanieth explained. "I realized heart conditions aren't something to be ashamed of – they can affect anyone."
Thanks to medical advances, Thanieth now lives with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a small electrical device inserted under her skin that administers a shock if she experiences a dangerous heart rhythm. This technology allows her to maintain an active lifestyle as a mother to her ten-year-old son Abdullah and nine-year-old daughter Aisha.
Breaking Cultural Taboos Through Advocacy
Thanieth has become a passionate advocate for heart health awareness, particularly within communities where such discussions might be discouraged. "In my culture, we are not encouraged to talk about heart health and my mum asked me to keep it a secret," she revealed. "But Mum died in 2015 from heart failure when she was just 42 and it completely floored me."
Beyond her personal advocacy, Thanieth runs a successful international recruitment company, maintains an active fitness regimen including weight training, and leads a fundraising group for the British Heart Foundation. Her openness about her condition represents a deliberate effort to challenge cultural stigmas surrounding heart disease.
National Recognition with Red Bench Tribute
The British Heart Foundation has selected Thanieth as one of just 65 people across the United Kingdom to receive a distinctive red bench installation as part of a national awareness campaign. Her bench, installed by Solihull Council on Stratford Road in Shirley opposite Boots, bears her name as a "living tribute" to both survival and the importance of cardiovascular research.
"Benches usually remember those we've lost, but mine is different — it celebrates survival," Thanieth remarked. "Thanks to the incredible progress of research into heart conditions, I was diagnosed and treated at an early stage and I am able to live my life and be around for my children."
She added that the location holds special significance: "Losing my mum and brothers to the same heart condition makes the bench even more poignant. But I know the best way to honor their memory is to grab life with both hands and to raise awareness of heart conditions so fewer people lose loved ones."
Advancing Research and Hope for the Future
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects approximately one in 250 people worldwide as an inherited heart muscle condition. The British Heart Foundation has committed substantial resources to finding cures, including awarding £30 million to CureHeart in 2022. This research initiative, led by Professor Hugh Watkins at the University of Oxford and Professor Christine Seidman at Harvard University, utilizes cutting-edge gene editing tools to develop treatments for inherited heart muscle diseases.
Thanieth hopes her red bench will serve multiple purposes: "I hope the bench inspires people to learn more about heart conditions and about the BHF, gives hope to those affected by heart disease, and inspires everyone to donate to life-saving heart research."
Her story underscores the critical importance of early diagnosis, ongoing treatment, and continued research funding for cardiovascular conditions that affect families across generations.
