Birmingham-born television presenter Emma Willis has spoken candidly about the moment she was "floored" to discover she had been living with a serious, undiagnosed heart condition for nearly five decades.
A shocking discovery during a routine check
The broadcaster, 49, learned she had a hole in her heart during a routine health check in January last year. Medics found she had an enlarged heart and an atrial septal defect, a congenital opening between the upper chambers of her heart.
"The last thing I expected my cardiologist to say was that it was a congenital heart condition," Willis said. "I was floored as I had gone 48 years oblivious, not knowing anything was wrong. It was a bolt out of the blue."
She described the mental impact as the biggest challenge, admitting the diagnosis left her "terrified". The condition was closed via a keyhole operation at London's Royal Brompton Hospital just two months after it was identified.
Backing a vital heart health campaign
Willis is now supporting a major new awareness campaign by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). As part of this, she met other individuals living with heart conditions, including Aimee Nicholls and her eight-year-old son Leo, who both have congenital heart disease.
The BHF is marking its 65th anniversary by installing 65 distinctive red benches across the UK. Each bench celebrates a heart disease survivor, featuring their name and a message about their life and passions.
Willis hopes that by sharing her story, she can help others facing similar health shocks. "My perspective on life shifted," she revealed. "From diagnosis to surgery was the most present I have been in my life."
Other families share their heart journeys
The campaign highlights how heart conditions can affect anyone. Aimee Nicholls, 32 from Bristol, was born with a hole in her heart and had corrective surgery at age four. A 20-week scan later revealed her son Leo would have the same condition.
Leo was born in November 2017 with multiple heart defects and needed open heart surgery at just one week old. "When we were told about Leo’s conditions, our world collapsed," Mrs Nicholls said. "We just broke down and couldn’t process it at all."
Another campaign participant, Michelle White, 48 from Manchester, has a faulty heart valve and has endured two open-heart operations, a fitted pacemaker, and several strokes. "I won’t let fear define me," she stated. "I’m taking things step by step, staying positive."
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF, praised the participants for sharing their experiences. "Their stories send a powerful message that cardiovascular disease can affect anyone," she said, urging public support for the charity's lifesaving research.
