The Duchess of Edinburgh to attend charity’s musical extravaganza

THE Duchess of Edinburgh, the Royal Patron of Heartbeat, will be attending the Southampton-based cardiac charity’s ‘Musicals from the Heart’ extravaganza as a guest of honour.

The September 17th show, created in partnership with Heartbeat and the iconic Mayflower Theatre, will welcome The Duchess as part of its 30th-anniversary celebrations.

The glittering ‘Musicals from the Heart’ event, which will be produced by renowned Broadway and West End performer Earl Carpenter, will welcome an array of Hampshire-based stars, such as Holly-Anne Hull, Lauren Byrne, Harry Chandler and James Hume.

The Duchess last visited Heartbeat in 2015 for the opening of a new cardiac unit for young adults at Southampton General Hospital. Following the charity’s efforts to raise more than £500,000, the specially designed unit provides support to thousands of 16 to 30-year-olds who are being treated at the hospital.

Since its launch in 1992, Heartbeat has worked tirelessly to provide the best quality cardiac care as it supports the Wessex Cardiac Unit based at Southampton General Hospital.

Projects spearheaded by the charity include Heartbeat House, the charity’s 25-bedroom ‘home from home’. The house is designed to support and provide respite to families of cardiac patients undergoing treatment at Southampton General Hospital and is located just a three-minute walk away. It currently costs £87,000 per year to keep the facility running and relies solely on donations.

Another Heartbeat-funded project is its innovative 3D heart campaign, which is revolutionising the approach of surgeons when carrying out invasive cardiac diagnostic testing.

Costing £600 per heart, surgeons can utilise specialist cardiac modelling software to easily scan the patient’s heart using non-invasive methods such as a CT scan or an MRI. This creates a detailed blueprint of the heart, which can then be sent to a 3D printer.

The printer will then produce an identical plastic model of the heart, offering an in-depth look at the organ and any defects it may have.

Mark Ind, Chief Executive of Heartbeat, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that The Duchess of Edinburgh will be attending our ‘Musicals from the Heart’ extravaganza in Southampton. As the Royal Patron of Heartbeat, Her Royal Highness has been a true pillar of support and inspiration throughout the years.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to The Duchess for her ongoing patronage and look forward to an unforgettable evening at Mayflower Theatre on September 17th.”

Michael Ockwell, Chief Executive of Mayflower Theatre, added:

“It’s a real privilege to support Heartbeat with this event and it is all the more exciting that we will be welcoming their patron, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh to our theatre.”