Your Involvement
There are several ways for you to get involved in supporting our service as well as contributing to the knowledge base that helps treat you, your family and future patients.
Research
As a patient you may be approached to participate in a clinical trial of a registry. A clinical trial often compares two forms of treatment when doctors are not sure which is best. If you are a candidate then a researcher will contact you either at home, in clinic or on the ward and explain the study. You will be given lots of information and asked to sign a consent form. You do not have to participate and if you don’t your treatment will not be affected.
A registry is a slightly different type of study in which your treatment will be simply followed up in a formal way.
How our patients contributed to a major study on genetics in aortic disease
Biobank
You may be approached to see if you would agree to have any aortic tissue removed during your operation donated to the Biobank. This will be frozen and kept anonymously and will allow researchers to study disease in an attempt to try and improve treatments in the future.
Aortic Forum
The aortic forum is a patient group that has supported our weekend open days that involve a number of presentations and a trip around theatres. The happens twice per year and has proved very popular.
Support our Aortic Fund
Some patients organise their own fundraising events and donate the proceeds to our Service. This money is typically used to support educational and research activities which support the Thoracic Aortic Service.
For further details about making a donation or for support with your own fundraising event, please contact the LHCH Charity Office on 0151 600 1409 or email enquiries@lhch.nhs.uk
Other Support
Heart Research UK/Aortic Dissection Awareness Day
Our service has a close relationship with Heart Research UK who have supported many of our educational activities. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital has also supported the Aortic Dissection Awareness Day.