Improving diagnosis for patients and their families

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals lead the world in innovative diagnosis and treatment of heart and lung disease. One reason for this is their genetics and genomics team who help with the diagnosis of inherited conditions.

Currently, the team conducts a third of all tests nationally for inherited lung conditions and a quarter of all tests for inherited heart conditions, but they need new equipment to keep up with the demand for their services.

Where will my money go?

Here at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity, we are committed to keeping the hospitals at the leading edge of patient care. To help with this, we are raising funds to provide the genetics and genomics team with a state-of-the-art Next Generation Sequencer to help with their ground-breaking work.

In this video Mat, deputy head of the genetics and genomics lab, explains how a diagnosis is reached from a sample.

Help patients like Sienna and her family

14-month-old Sienna was at the park when she suddenly became very poorly, fell unconscious and had to be rushed to hospital. Royal Brompton diagnosed Sienna with Brugada Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that meant Sienna has a high risk of dangerous heart arrhythmias, cardiac arrests and sudden cardiac death.

The hospitals’ genetics and genomics team tested Sienna’s whole family and were able to diagnose her mother, brother and grandfather as also having Brugada Syndrome. Now they can take steps to prevent arrythmias from occurring.

How you can help

By fundraising or donating to this appeal you are helping the hospitals do the vital work of testing patients like Sienna and her family for inherited heart and lung conditions.

This means patients can know about conditions earlier when they are easier to treat or can be prevented from developing. Your donations will save and enhance many lives. Thank you.