It is wonderful the way so many of our patients and their families want to tell us their stories – sometimes they start their story with: ‘I wouldn’t be here without…’ It is very moving and I have to take a deep breath before I move on.

But no story has had quite the effect of Luke's, as you can see on our website. I am a parent and even though my children are grown up and in their 20s now, it feels like yesterday that they were just babies. So it is amazing to read about Luke’s first few days and weeks of life… and then in the next sentence read that he is now a perfectly normal teenager. What his parents must have gone through in those early days would have been terrible.

But extraordinary things happen so as we mark World Heart Day it is good to stop and think about the millions of people who have had life saving surgery, not just at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals but all over the world. My uncle had a surgery at Royal Brompton at the age of 82 and has been well ever since - five years now and counting.

So, here’s to miracles. Here’s to donors who have helped our amazing surgeons, nurses, radiographers, physiotherapists, porters, consultants and caterers who have helped to make the miracles happen. Just as life starts to get unsettled again with Covid-19, we can mark World Heart Day with deep thanks for all you do to help our patients go back home again and lead their lives to the full.

Please help us buy the very latest in imaging equipment so more miracles can happen, like Luke as he embarks on the rest of his life. Our clinical teams are working really hard in all our cath labs to treat as many patients as possible – some of whom have had their procedures delayed because of Covid-19.

Our new imaging equipment is due to be delivered this year for cath lab 2 so more little lives can be saved – but in these challenging times, the hospital has turned to the Charity to ask if we can fund this ground-breaking equipment – which is outside the day to day budget. When it comes, it will be part of a major transformation – and our wonderful donors have been part of it.

Every donation brings us closer to our target. Please help us by donating to our Life in Focus appeal.